November 14-15, 2025
Calvary Episcopal Church
102 N. 2nd Street | Memphis, Tennessee 38103
The 44th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee will be held November 14–15, 2025, at Calvary Episcopal Church in Downtown Memphis. We are grateful to the Rev. Scott Walters, Rector, and the Calvary community for their hospitality as we prepare for this important event in the life of our diocese. Calvary Episcopal Church is located at 102 N. 2nd Street in downtown Memphis.
THEME: One Church
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling,
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,
who is above all and through all and in all.”
(Ephesians 4:4-6)
This year’s theme—One Church—is a call to remember what binds us: the shared waters of baptism that mark us as Christ’s own forever. Though we come from many places and carry many perspectives, we are drawn into one current, flowing together in purpose and promise. As we gather this fall, we do so as members of one body, discerning and serving as One Church.
Childcare During Convention
Friday, November 14
Convention will open with a Diocesan Eucharist at 6:00 p.m., followed by a festive reception. All are welcome and warmly encouraged to attend the Eucharist, whether or not you plan to attend Saturday’s business proceedings. Nursery will be provided. No registration is required for Friday night, although it is helpful if you let us know if you intend to use the nursery.
Saturday, November 15
Convention business will be conducted throughout the day. Nursery and childcare will be available. Check-in for registered attendees will open at 8 a.m., and Morning Prayer will begin at 9 a.m. Convention will end by 4:30 p.m.
Hotel Accommodations
The Diocese will not be reserving a hotel room block for the 2025 Diocesan Convention. Attendees are encouraged to make their own lodging arrangements.
Click below for a list of several recommended hotels located within walking distance of Calvary:
Virtual Pre-Convention Hearings
Childcare During Convention
Keynote
We are pleased to welcome the Rev. Dr. Tod Bolsinger as our keynote speaker. A practical theologian and executive coach, Dr. Bolsinger serves as Executive Director of the Church Leadership Institute and Associate Professor of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has more than three decades of experience in ministry and leadership development and is the author of several influential works, including Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory and How Not to Waste a Crisis, which was the focus of our 2025 diocesan Lenten book study. He also led this year’s clergy retreat, and we look forward to welcoming him back to West Tennessee.
Keynote
We are pleased to welcome the Rev. Dr. Tod Bolsinger as our keynote speaker. A practical theologian and executive coach, Dr. Bolsinger serves as Executive Director of the Church Leadership Institute and Associate Professor of Leadership Formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. He has more than three decades of experience in ministry and leadership development and is the author of several influential works, including Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory and How Not to Waste a Crisis, which was the focus of our 2025 diocesan Lenten book study. He also led this year’s clergy retreat, and we look forward to welcoming him back to West Tennessee.
Registration
All voting members of the Convention, as well as alternates, will need an electronic device with access to the Internet and the email provided during registration to vote.
The deadline to register for Convention is Friday, October 3 at 5 p.m. CST.
Individual Registration
Early Bird Registration: July 25 – August 29
$105 for clergy & lay delegates
$70 for guests
Standard Registration: August 30 – October 3
$125 for clergy and lay delegates
$90 for guests
This registration may include spouses, partners, friends, visitors, or anyone else who would like to attend the Saturday portion of Convention. It is also the registration for the following clergy:
- canonically resident clergy not assigned to a congregation
- retired clergy who are canonically resident in West Tennessee (entitled to voice and vote at convention)
- retired clergy who are not canonically resident
- clergy who are licensed to officiate in West Tennessee
Delegation Registration
Early Bird Registration: July 25 – August 29
$105 for clergy & lay delegates
$70 for guests and alternates
Standard Registration: August 30 – October 3
$125 for clergy & lay delegates
$90 for guests and alternates
This registration allows a church to pay for the number of delegates and canonically resident clergy that they are sending to Convention.
All churches in the Diocese of West Tennessee received a letter in early June confirming the number of lay delegates they may send to Convention, based on the 2024 Parochial Report. We encourage churches to elect and register delegates as early as possible.
If your Faith Community has already registered but needs to add additional attendees, please submit their information through the registration form. If any of the new attendees are replacing individuals who were previously registered, please also send an email dmurray@episwtn.org with the names of those being added and those being replaced so we can update the registration list accordingly.
The deadline to register for Convention is Friday, October 3 at 5 p.m. CST.
Childcare During Convention
Childcare will be available at Diocesan Convention for registered attendees, and the Calvary nursery will be open during the Diocesan Eucharist. To help us plan for adequate staffing, please let us know if you plan to use childcare.
Elected Offices and Nominees
Each year, lay persons and clergy are encouraged to run for diocesan positions and participate in Diocesan Convention as delegates. The church functions at her best when there is collegiality and collaboration from throughout the Diocese. We want our diocesan bodies to reflect a variety of perspectives from the 21 counties in West Tennessee where our congregations are located.
If you have never considered serving on a diocesan committee, talk with your clergy person or one of your wardens to learn more about this important work. We need your voice at the table.
The deadline for nominations to be included in the Convention Book and the website is November 3, 2025. However, nominations will be accepted until Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 12 p.m.
Nomination Form Instructions:
- Please select the office below for which you are making a nomination and download the form.
- Please obtain the nominee’s signature (electronic signatures are acceptable) and biography.
- Email the completed form to the Diocesan Administrator (diocese@episwtn.org) and to Canon Rob Courtney (rcourtney@episwtn.org).
Description of University of the South Trustee Description:
The 44th Convention will elect one Lay Trustee of The University of the South (Sewanee) to serve a term
beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2029. The nominee must be a confirmed communicant in good standing and geographically resident in this Diocese. Neither the Diocese nor Sewanee pays for travel expenses. When the Sewanee Inn is available, lodging is free at Sewanee. Expenses may be eligible to be treated as donations for income tax purposes, and Trustees are encouraged to seek tax advice from their tax counsel
Disciplinary Board Nomination Forms
Description of Disciplinary Board Duties:
The Disciplinary Board is the group of Clergy and Lay persons that receives information and makes decisions when a member of the Clergy is accused of misconduct.
Please refer to the nomination forms for the lay and clergy requirements to serve on the Disciplinary Board.
General Convention Deputies Nomination Forms
The 44th Convention will elect four Lay Deputies, two Lay Alternate Deputies, four Clergy Deputies, and two Clergy Alternative Deputies to the 82nd General Convention, which will be held July 3-8, 2027, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Please refer to the nomination forms for the lay and clergy requirements. In addition, the nominee must fulfill all requirements set forth for deputies by the General Convention Office, which could include intercultural competency training.
Standing Committee Nomination Forms
Description of Standing Committee Duties:
- The Standing Committee oversees the administrative and executive functions of this Diocese if there is no Bishop (Ecclesiastical Authority).
- The Standing Committee serves as a Council of Advice to the Bishop.
- The Standing Committee plays an integral role in determining the suitability of persons for ordination and other matters pertaining to clergy in this Diocese.
- The Standing Committee must advise the Bishop and consent to the sale, lease or other encumbrance or alienation of property used solely for Divine Worship in this Diocese.
Dates for Standing Committee Meetings:
The Committee will meet at 4 pm on the following dates in 2026: January 22, March 26, May 28, August 27, September 17 and October 22.
Please refer to the nomination forms for the lay and clergy requirements to serve on the Standing Committee.
Description of Bishop & Council Duties:
- Bishop & Council establishes policies and oversees the budgetary and programmatic business of this Diocese, similar to the role of a vestry/mission council of a Faith Community.
- Bishop & Council establishes the policies and procedures of this Diocese.
- Bishop & Council oversees implementation of the programs and priorities of The General Conventions of The Episcopal Church.
- No property of the Diocese or any Faith Community may be alienated, conveyed, transferred, encumbered, mortgaged, assigned, or leased without the prior consent of the Convention or of Bishop & Council.
- Bishop & Council exercises powers of the Convention between meetings of the Convention.
Dates for Bishop & Council Meetings:
Bishop & Council will meet at 9:00 am on the following dates in 2026: January 22, March 26, May 28, August 27, September 17 and October 22.
Please refer to the nomination forms for the lay and clergy requirements to serve on Bishop & Council.
Nominees for Election
Bishop & Council
Clergy, Term Expiring 2029
The Rev. Amanda McGriff
St. George’s Episcopal Church (Germantown)
The Rev. Amanda McGriff currently serves as chaplain at Methodist University Hospital, primarily working with the palliative care team and patients. Since her graduation from Bexley Seabury Seminary in May 2021, she has served as curate and then assisting priest at St. George’s, Germantown. Prior to entering seminary, she served as pastoral care coordinator at Grace-St. Luke’s, Memphis. She was an alternate diocesan delegate to the 81st General Convention of the Episcopal Church, and she is the author of Will You? A Lenten Study of Baptismal Promises and the accompanying group leader guide. Amanda, her husband Wil, their son Darwin, and their greyhound Goose live in Memphis.
Lay, Term Expiring 2029
Mr. William Webb, Jr.
Church of the Good Shepherd (Memphis)
A dedicated member of Church of the Good Shepherd, Bill currently serves on the Vestry. This commitment to service is a cornerstone of his life, not only in his faith but as devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He is a proud fifth-generation native of Memphis and continues to invest in his community by volunteering at the Woodruff Fontaine House Museum, helping to preserve the city’s rich history. Professionally, he is the Business Development Director for YK Auto Group, contributing to the local economy. His efforts through his family, church, volunteer work, and career— reflect a deep-seated pride in and dedication to the Memphis community and Diocese of West Tennessee.
General Convention Deputies
Clergy
The Rev. Rob Courtney
The Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee
The Reverend Canon Rob Courtney joined the diocesan staff as Canon to the Ordinary in July 2024 after ministry as Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and School in New Orleans. An alumnus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, University of Phoenix, and the School of Theology at the University of the South (Sewanee), with a diverse ordained and lay ministry background, “Canon Rob” brings extensive professional and leadership experience to his role on the Bishop’s staff. As canon to the ordinary he serves as a connector across the diocese on behalf of the Bishop, including work with clergy in transition, congregational transition processes, and diocesan commissions and committees.
The Rev. Gerri Endicott
Church of the Holy Apostles (Collierville)
Native Memphian and lifelong Episcopalian, Gerri was ordained to the diaconate in 2018. Within the diocese, she is currently serving on the Diocesan Finance Committee, The Becoming Beloved Community Commission, and the Board of St. Columba. On a denominational basis, Gerri is a board member of the Fund for the Diaconate, an organization that assists deacons in need. Previously, she served on Bishop & Council and the Commission on Ministry. She also served at the past two General Conventions. At the 80th GC in Baltimore she served as an alternate, and at the 81st in Louisville as a deputy and member of the Legislative Committee for Accessibility and Inclusion. She hopes to continue this work in Phoenix in 2027.
The Rev. Donna Gerold
Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Donna is the Associate Rector at St. John’s in Memphis. She is responsible for Adult Formation, Pastoral Care, and Welcoming Ministries. She was elected to a 3-year term on the Diocese of West Tennessee Standing Committee in 2025. Donna came from the Diocese of Alabama where she was engaged with her parish and diocesan ministries. In her spare time she loves to garden, read spy thrillers, and look for treasures at antique shops and on Facebook Marketplace. She is a self-proclaimed “Church Nerd,” loving all aspects of church governance and the workings of the Church. Donna was her seminary representative at General Convention in 2012 and 2015 and loved every minute of it!
The Rev. Ollie Rencher
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
The Rev. Ollie V. Rencher has served as rector of Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Memphis since July 2018 after ordained ministry roles in the Episcopal dioceses of North Carolina, West Tennessee, and Mississippi. Father Rencher is an alumnus of General Seminary and Millsaps College and a member of the Fellowship of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. Over the last 25 years, his churchwide service has included the West Tennessee standing committee and commission on ministry; boards of MIFA, BRIDGES, The Gathering of Leaders, Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal School, St. George’s Independent School, Trinity Episcopal School, Duncan M. Gray Conference Center; racial healing initiative committees and programs; diocesan commissions on liturgy and music and constitution and canons; disaster relief chaplaincy; spiritual faculty for Episcopal CREDO; Washington National Cathedral summer seminarian; and chorister with Episcopal parish and cathedral choirs. Father Rencher is married to Ellie Rolfes Rencher.
Lay
Ms. Robyn Banks
Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Robyn Mauldin Banks is the director of communications at Calvary Episcopal Church, where she has served for more than 20 years. She leads Calvary’s efforts to share how the parish is making God’s love visible in downtown Memphis. Engaged in the Episcopal Church beyond her parish, Robyn has represented Calvary as a delegate to diocesan convention multiple times and has served on the board of Episcopal Communicators, earning numerous awards for excellence in church communications. She is also a graduate of the Education for Ministry program. A lifelong “church nerd,” Robyn sees General Convention as both a personal goal and a vocational calling. Passionate about how stories connect communities and the good that emerges when we work together, she looks forward to contributing her experience, creativity, and collaborative spirit to the wider church. Robyn is mom to a precocious nine-year-old daughter, who shares her love of stories and community.
Mr. Scott Haight
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (Dyersburg)
Scott currently serves as Vice Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee and as a member of the Executive Council of the General Convention (GC) of The Episcopal Church. He has served as a Deputy to General Convention for the past four General Conventions and as First Alternate for the two prior conventions. Since 2015, he has been appointed to serve on and chair various General Convention interim bodies and legislative committees.
Scott joined the Episcopal Church in 1987 at Calvary Church, Memphis. From 1989 through 2011, he was active at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Germantown, and since 2012, he has been active at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Dyersburg. He is an attorney in private practice and lives with his husband, Dr. Cannon Doan, along with his two youngest adult sons.
Standing Committee
Clergy, Term Expiring 2028
The Rev. Katherine Bush
Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
The Reverend Katherine Bush has served as the Associate Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church since Fall of 2021. A lifelong Memphian, Katherine has also served at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Church of the Holy Communion, and as chaplain at St. Mary’s Episcopal School. She is a graduate of Rhodes College with a Bachelor of Arts in English and of Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, with her Master of Divinity. Katherine brings with her considerable experience, having fulfilled former terms on both Standing Committee and The Commission on Ministry.
Lay, Term Expiring 2028
Mr. John M. Planchon, Sr.
St. George’s Episcopal Church (Germantown)
Prior to retirement, John was professor of economics and business and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Rhodes College. For the past 35 years, he has been a parishioner at St. George’s, where he has served on numerous parish committees including Finance, Budget, Endowment, and Lenten Speakers. He is an alumnus of Education for Ministry and has served two terms as delegate to the diocesan convention. He is currently serving his third and final term on St. George’s vestry, where he also serves as clerk of the parish. Upon the Rt. Rev. Dorothy Well’s election as the Bishop of Mississippi, John chaired St. George’s rector discernment committee.
University of the South Trustee
Lay, Term Expiring 2029
Mr. Dalton Lyon
Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Carter Dalton Lyon grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Desiring a graduate degree in history and wanting to further pursue his interests in examining the civil rights movement, he entered the Graduate School at the University of Mississippi in 2004 where he completed a PhD and wrote a dissertation on the challenge of segregation in churches. This dissertation formed the basis of his book, Sanctuaries of Segregation: The Story of the Jackson Church Visit Campaign, which the University Press of Mississippi published in 2017. While in Oxford in 2006, Dalton was confirmed into the Episcopal Church at St. Peter’s. Since 2011, Dalton has been teaching U.S. History and chairing the History Department at St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Memphis, Tennessee. He is married to Sally Ann Cassady of Gulfport, Mississippi, and has two daughters, Lucy and Ann Carter. The Lyon family have been members of Calvary Episcopal Church in Memphis since 2011.
Disciplinary Board
Clergy, Term Expiring 2027
The Rev. Laura Gettys
Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
The Rev. Laura Gettys currently serves as Associate Clergy for Community Engagement at Grace-St. Luke’s. Prior to this call, she served as Canon and Interim Dean of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. Outside of West Tennessee, she served as clergy in the Dioceses of Virginia and Mississippi.
Lay, Term Expiring 2027
Brooks Terry
Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
I have been a member of the Memphis community most of my life. I am a business owner and happy to call Memphis home. My family and in-laws are all based in Memphis.
I have been loosely associated with Calvary Episcopal Church for over 30 years. I became a member of Calvary a little over 2 years ago and was confirmed shortly after that time. It has been a privilege to be around Calvary and a part of the diocese. My husband is an active member of Calvary and does some service work for the church. We enjoy being affiliated with a wonderful group of people. We have traveled with the choir to England, and we’re going to do so again in the summer of 2025.
We have many friends that we spend time with, love and cherish that are from our Calvary circle. There is also a group that I hike with. I have been blessed by being around Calvary and the diocese. This is a small way I can give back.
Thank you for your consideration.
Resolutions & Rules of Order
A virtual resolution hearing was held on October 22, 2024, and representatives introducing resolutions provided information about proposed resolutions and answered questions.
To review a recording of this hearing, please click here.
Revisions have been made to the proposed resolutions.
Additionally, The Committee on Constitution and Canons have made revisions to the Rules of Order.
The resolutions and Rules of Order, as revised, are linked below.
Resolutions & Rules of Order
DEADLINE: October 1, 2025
Resolutions may be proposed only by: The Ecclesiastical Authority, canonically resident Clergy, Lay Delegates, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chancellor, any Vice-Chancellor, the Archivist, the Bishop and Council, the Standing Committee, the Committee on Constitution and Canons, Vestries, and Mission Councils. Each such resolution authored by a canonically resident member of the Clergy or Lay Delegate shall be endorsed by not less than two other canonically resident Clergy or Lay Delegates, all of whom must be from different Faith Communities.
Canon I.9; Rules of Order: III. Resolutions 3.01
Resolutions must be received in the Diocesan Office either by email (diocese@episwtn.org AND rcourtney@episwtn.org) or delivered to 692 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, by October 1, 2025 to be included in the Convention Book and posted to the website. Any resolution received after October 1 will require the approval of 2/3 of the Convention to be considered.
Rule of Order 3.02(b)
Necrology
DEADLINE: November 4, 2024
During Diocesan Convention, it is the custom of our Diocese to remember those persons who have served in a diocesan leadership role and have died since the prior Convention. Examples of diocesan leadership roles include:
- a Diocesan Convention delegate,
- a General Convention deputy,
- or a member of any diocesan committee or commission such as Bishop and Council, Standing Committee, Finance Committee, Commission on Ministry, or the West Tennessee Endowment Corporation
November 16 at noon is the deadline for submitting additional resolutions or amendments to any of the resolutions listed above. Any additional resolutions or amendments to resolutions will require a vote of 2/3 of the Convention to be considered, in addition to meeting other requirements set forth in the Rules of Order. Forms for submitting resolutions and amendments are linked below.