Constitution
Article
- I-Name and Bounds
- II- Authority of the Church
- III-The Ecclesiastical Authority
- IV-Convening of Annual and Special Councils
- V-Powers of the Diocesan Council
- VI-Divine Services at Meetings of Council
- VII-Members of Council
- VIII-Quorum and Method of Voting in Council
- IX-Officers of Council
- X-Diocesan Committees
- XI-Trustees of the Diocese of Mississippi
- XII-Parishes and Missions in Union with Council
- XIII-Election of a Bishop
- XIV-Amendments to the Constitution
- XV-Repeal and Enactment
ARTICLE I
Name and Bounds
The name and title of the Church in this Diocese shall be THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF MISSISSIPPI, and its boundaries are co-extensive with the boundaries of the State of Mississippi.
ARTICLE II
Authority of the Church
The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Mississippi acknowledges its allegiance to that branch of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Christ known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and acknowledges the authority of the General Convention of the same.
ARTICLE III
The Ecclesiastical Authority
The Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese shall be the Bishop, or if there be no Bishop, then the Standing Committee.
ARTICLE IV
Convening of Annual and Special Councils
SECTION 1. (a) There shall be an Annual Council of the Church in this Diocese which shall convene at the place ordered by the previous Council at a time and on a day set by the Executive Committee at least forty-five days prior thereto.
(b) The Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese may, for any cause deemed by it sufficient, change the time or place or both, for any meeting of the Council, giving notice to each Cleric, Parish and Mission of the Diocese.
SECTION 2. (a) The Ecclesiastical Authority may call Special Councils, and fix the time and place at which they shall convene.
(b) Provided, however, that the Bishop shall call a Special meeting of the Council when the Standing Committee shall request it.
(c) In case of a vacancy in the Episcopate, the Standing Committee shall, within sixty days of such vacancy, call a Special Council.
SECTION 3. (a) Notice of the time and place at which a Council is to convene shall be mailed, at least thirty days prior to the meeting, to every Cleric canonically resident in the Diocese, and to the Warden of every vacant Parish and Mission in union with the Council, subject to the provisions of Section 1. (b).
(b) In the case of Special Councils, such notice shall also specify the purpose or purposes for which they are called, and no other business shall be transacted.
ARTICLE V
Powers of the Diocesan Council
SECTION 1. The Council of the Diocese shall have the power to adopt Canons, and take any other action that may be proper for the conduct of the affairs of the Diocese not in conflict with this Constitution, nor with the Constitution and Canons of the General Church.
SECTION 2. All temporal power and authority is reserved to the Bishop and the Council of the Diocese except as may be otherwise specifically delegated to some officer, agency, committee or department of the Diocese for the interim between Councils, or as provided by Canon.
SECTION 3. The Council shall have the power to assess the Parishes and Missions of the Diocese for the expenses of the Diocese.
ARTICLE VI
Divine Services at Meetings of Council
The direction of Divine Services during the sessions of the Council shall rest with the President of the Council; provided, however, that the Holy Communion be celebrated at least once during the meeting of Council.
ARTICLE VII
Members of Council
SECTION 1. The Council shall be composed of the Bishop or Bishops, together with the other Clergy and Lay Persons of the Diocese, as provided for in the following Sections of this Article.
SECTION 2. Every Cleric of the Church who is canonically resident in the Diocese shall be entitled to a seat and vote in the Council, and, except for those who have retired from the active ministry, it is hereby made his or her duty to attend its deliberations.
SECTION 3. (a) Every Parish in union with the Council shall be entitled to send to the Council three Lay Delegates, who shall remain in office until their successors have been elected or appointed, the Parish to have the power of filling any vacancy which may occur.
(b) Every organized Mission in union with the Council shall be entitled to send to the Council one Lay Delegate, who shall remain in office until his or her successor has been elected or appointed, the Mission to have the power of filling any vacancy which may occur.
(c) No person shall be competent to serve as a Delegate unless such person be a confirmed Communicant, at least eighteen years of age, actually residing in the Parish or Mission and entitled to suffrage at the last regular annual meeting of said Parish or canonically resident in said Mission.
SECTION 4: Among the Lay Delegates at Council will be one youth delegate from each convocation who will represent the youth of the Diocese. The convocational youth delegates must be canonically resident in the convocation he/she is representing. Youth delegates will have equal rights of voice, seat and vote at Annual Council. The youth delegates will be seated at a table specifically designated for Diocesan Young People. No person shall be competent to serve as a Youth Delegate, unless such person be a communicant in good standing of a parish or mission of the Diocese, actually residing in the Diocese, and no less than sixteen and no more that eighteen years of age at the time of the Annual Council they are to attend.
SECTION 5. The Council shall be the judge of the qualifications of its members.
SECTION 6. The method of electing or naming Lay Delegates shall be provided by Canon.
SECTION 7. The Treasurer and Chancellor shall be ex officio members of Council with all rights and privileges except in case of a vote by Orders.
ARTICLE VIII
Quorum and Method of Voting in Council
SECTION 1. Except as herein otherwise provided, at all Annual and Special meetings of Council one-third of the members of the Clergy entitled to seats in the Council, and Lay Delegates from one-third of the Parishes entitled to representation in the Council, when duly assembled, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a smaller number may adjourn the Council.
SECTION 2. (a) Except as herein otherwise provided, in all matters which shall come before the Council the Clergy and the Laity shall deliberate as one body, and the adoption or rejection of any matter submitted for their consideration shall be determined by a majority vote.
(b) When any five members require it, or as herein otherwise provided, there shall be a vote by Orders; in which case each qualified Cleric shall be entitled to one vote, each Parish no more than three Lay votes, and each organized Mission one Lay vote. A majority of the votes in each Order on a concurrent ballot shall be necessary to a decision.
ARTICLE IX
Officers of Council
SECTION 1. The President of the Council shall be the Ecclesiastical Authority, as provided for in Article III. If the Ecclesiastical Authority be the Standing Committee, the President of the Standing Committee shall preside, or in his or her absence or inability or unwillingness to preside, the members of Council shall elect a President from among the Presbyters of the Council.
SECTION 2. (a) There shall be also elected by the Council a Treasurer and such other officers as may be provided for by Canon, whose terms of office and duties pertaining thereto shall be defined by Canon.
(b) There shall be a Secretary, Registrar, and Chancellor of the Diocese, who shall be appointed annually by the Bishop.
(c) These officers, when duly elected or appointed, shall be deemed officers of the Diocese bearing the same offices and titles.
ARTICLE X
Diocesan Committees
SECTION 1. (a) The Annual Council shall elect a Standing Committee, to consist of four Presbyters and four confirmed Lay Communicants who are canonically resident and actually residing in this Diocese, or are regularly participating in the work and worship of his or her Parish or Mission.
(b) The terms of office of the members and the duties pertaining thereto shall be defined by Canon, except as elsewhere herein specified.
SECTION 2. (a) The Annual Council shall elect an Executive Committee, to consist of not less than six clergy and six confirmed Lay Communicants who are canonically resident, and actually residing in this Diocese, or are regularly participating in the work and worship of his or her Parish or Mission. The Bishop, the Secretary of the Diocese, the Treasurer of the Diocese, and the Chancellor shall be ex officio members of the Executive Committee.
(b) The number of members, the terms of office thereof, and the duties pertaining thereto shall be determined by Canon.
ARTICLE XI
“Trustees of the Diocese of Mississippi”
SECTION 1. The “Trustees of the Diocese of Mississippi,” a corporation originally chartered by the Legislature of Mississippi by an Act approved March 6, 1880, and amended by an Act approved April 18, 1918, shall act as Trustees for all Diocesan real property and trust funds in accordance with its Charter as amended.
SECTION 2. Qualifications, election, terms of office and duties of the members of the said corporation shall be defined by Canon, subject to the provisions of the Act of Incorporation as amended.
ARTICLE XII
Parishes and Missions in Union with Council
SECTION 1. This Constitution recognizes, as in union with the Council, the Parishes and organized Missions recorded in the report by the Secretary of the Diocese as of the date of the adoption of this Constitution.
SECTION 2. A new Parish or Mission may be admitted into union with the Council, on motion, by a majority vote of those present; provided that the applicant shall have complied with all the canonical requirements.
SECTION 3. (a) The Canons shall specify how and under what circumstances any Parish or Mission may be suspended from representation in Council or changed in parochial status. A suspension or change of status of a Parish or Mission shall not absolve it from obligation to the Council.
(b) The Canons shall provide further how and under what circumstances a Parish or Mission may be restored to its former status.
ARTICLE XIII
Election of a Bishop
SECTION 1. The election of a Bishop, a Bishop Coadjutor or a Suffragan Bishop, shall be made in the following manner:
(a) After nomination in open Council, the Clergy and Laity shall ballot by Orders, and a majority of each Order on the same ballot shall be necessary to elect, provided that two-thirds of each Order is present.
(b) If fewer than two-thirds of the members of an Order entitled to vote are present at the Council, the vote of two-thirds of those present in such Order shall be necessary for that purpose.
ARTICLE XIV
Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution shall not be amended by any Council unless the proposed amendment, in writing, shall have been submitted to and approved by a previous Council; nor unless at its final adoption it shall receive the votes of a majority of each Order, voting separately by ballot as provided for in Article VIII, and be approved by the Bishop before final adjournment.
ARTICLE XV
Repeal and Enactment
All Articles of any previous Constitution of the Church in this Diocese which are inconsistent herewith or omitted herewith are hereby repealed and this Constitution shall go into effect as soon as adopted.
