Go Forth & Be Bold
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Church of the Holy Apostles
1380 Wolf River Blvd; Collierville, TN 38017
The 43rd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee will convene at Church of the Holy Apostles in Collierville, Tennessee on Saturday, November 16, 2024. We are grateful to the Rev. Lisa McIndoo, Rector, and the Holy Apostles community for their hospitality as we prepare for this important event in the life of our Diocese. Church of the Holy Apostles is located at 1380 Wolf River Blvd.
For the first time ever, we are pleased to present a one-day Saturday Convention. In prior years, our Convention has taken place in whole or part on a weekday, making it difficult for many Episcopalians to attend due to work or family obligations. Thank you to everyone who has helped make Convention more accessible to our entire community. Childcare will be available to Convention attendees.
Diocesan Eucharist
Convention will close with a diocesan Eucharist where all are welcome – even if you don’t plan to attend Convention business proceedings! Children, youth, families, and friends: join us for this celebration, featuring a youth-led banner procession and Holy Apostles’ signature bluegrass music. Nursery provided. RSVP here.
The Diocesan Eucharist will begin at 3 p.m. with prelude starting at 2:40 p.m. A youth lock-in at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Collierville following the worship is being planned.
THEME: Go Forth & Be Bold
“Paul welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.”
(Acts 28:30b-31)
Keynote
The theme of this year’s Diocesan Convention, Go Forth and Be Bold, encourages us to embrace our faith with courage and determination. Our keynote speaker will be Kate Bond, Director of Faith Formation and Discipleship for the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Kate has dedicated her life to professional lay ministry, beginning at St. Crispin’s Camp and Conference Center, and she now brings her extensive experience to share with us. Kate holds a Certificate in Leadership in Lifelong Formation from FORMA and Virginia Theological Seminary, and is currently completing her D. Ed. Min at Virginia Theological Seminary. She also serves on the board of Forward Movement.
Kate oversees the Diocese of Oklahoma’s Vitality Granting Program and has been an invaluable colleague and resource to our West Tennessee Do Good and Share Ministry Grants team through the development of the program and first granting cycle.
Highlighting Community Engagement in West Tennessee
Convention will also be a time to learn from and celebrate how congregations in West Tennessee are engaging with their communities in creative, impactful ways. Do Good and Share Ministry Grant recipients will share what they learned through their projects.
Fees
Clergy & Lay Delegate: $100/ person
Alternate Lay Delegate $65/ person
Non-Stipendiary, Retired, Non-Parochial & Licensed Clergy: $65/ person
Guests: $65/ person
Registration Deadline
The deadline for registration is October 16, 2023.
If a Faith Community has already registered and needs to add one or more persons, please click on Convention Registration and register the person(s). If the person(s) being registered are replacing someone who was previously registered, you should also send an email to dmurray@episwtn.org letting us know who is being added and who is being replaced so we can remove the person(s) being replaced from our registration list.
Childcare During Convention
Registration
Convention registration is now closed. Please contact the Diocesan Office with any questions.
Individual Registration ($70/person)
This registration may include spouses, partners, friends, visitors, or anyone else who would like to attend the business 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 ($105/person; $70/alternates)
This registration allows a church to pay for the number of delegates and canonically resident clergy that they are sending to Convention.
The number of delegates a Faith Community may send to Diocesan Convention is determined by Diocesan Canon 1.7. Based upon the Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) set forth in the Faith Community’s 2023 Parochial Report, the Faith Community may register the following number of delegates:
ASA 1-50 = 2 Delegates
ASA 51-100 = 3 Delegates
ASA 101-200 = 4 Delegates
ASA 201-300 = 5 Delegates
ASA 301 and above = 6 Delegates
Please note: 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.
Childcare During Convention
Childcare will be available at Diocesan Convention for registered attendees, and the Holy Apostles nursery will be open during the Diocesan Eucharist at the end of the day. To help us plan for adequate staffing, please let us know if you plan to use childcare.
If you are registering a delegation, please instruct your delegates planning to utilize childcare to fill out the Childcare Form; this information is not collected during registration.
The deadline to RSVP for childcare is Thursday, October 31.
Elective 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.
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).
Nomination Deadlines
The deadline for nominations to be included in the Convention Book and the website is November 4, 2024. However, nominations will be accepted until Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 12 p.m.
University of the South Trustee
Disciplinary Board
Nominees for Election
Standing Committee
Clergy, Term Expiring 2027
The Rev. Donna Gerold
Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
The Rev. Donna J. Gerold is the Associate Rector at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, where she focuses on Adult Formation, Special Events, Stewardship, and the Welcome Ministry. She has also served on numerous diocesan committees in the Diocese of Alabama, including the Commission on Spirituality, as a Rector Search consultant, vestry retreat leader/consultant, and a member of the Diocesan Council and the ad hoc committee for revising the Mutual Ministry Review process. She is a practical, big-picture thinker who enjoys working on broader church initiatives.
Lay, Term Expiring 2027
Christian Man
Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Christian Man grew up in Memphis as the kid of a pastor. Since college, he has worked on food security and sustainable agriculture, both domestically and internationally. He met his wife, Brooke, in Washington D.C. They have two children – Hollis (3) and Gardner (1) – and live in east Memphis.
Bishop & Council
Clergy, Term Expiring 2028
Clergy, Term Expiring 2025
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.
The Rev. Dr. Noah Campbell
St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral (Memphis)
The Rev. Noah Campbell began his ministry as Vicar of St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral on November 1, 2024. Prior to this role, he served as the College Missioner at the Barth House Episcopal Center, where he provided Episcopal ministry to students at the University of Memphis and other local colleges since 2019. He also served as Vicar of the Church of the Good Shepherd from 2020 to 2024.
Noah was ordained as an American Baptist minister in 2002 and as an Episcopal priest in 2016. His ministry has included serving as Executive Director of the Memphis Center for Food and Faith from 2012 to 2018, and he currently teaches as an adjunct professor at Memphis Theological Seminary. Known for his passion for faith, food justice, and education, Noah brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to pastoral care in his new role at St. Mary’s.
Lay, Term Expiring 2028
Martha Webb
Immanuel Episcopal Church (Ripley)
Martha Webb, a life-long Episcopalian, has been an active member of Immanuel Church, Ripley, since 1973. In those 51 years, she has served as the clerk of the Mission Council for two decades, its senior warden for seven and a Christian education leader for every age. For many years, she has served on Immanuel’s altar guild and as the secretary of the Episcopal Church Women. A 2011 graduate of Education For Ministy (EfM), her work within the diocese includes a term on the Standing Committee and a diocesan effort to grow small churches. Recently, she worked on the search committee to select our newest Canon to the Ordinary and a diocesan task force to review parish commitments. Martha is called to serve the church inside and outside its walls.
University of the South Trustee
Lay, Term Expiring 2028
George Clarke, Jr.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral (Memphis)
George Clarke is a life-long Episcopalian and life-long member of St. Mary’s Cathedral. At St. Mary’s he has served on the Chapter Vestry/Mission Council for various terms over five decades since 1988, including a term as Chapter Warden. Over the years he has been Stewardship Chairman and Finance Committee Chair, and is currently Treasurer and Usher Committee Chair. In The Diocese he has served one term on Bishop and Council, and has been adviser to the Property and Casualty Insurance Committee for many years. He also served terms on the board of Youth Service in Memphis during its transition to Bridges.
In the community he is a long-time volunteer leader for Boy Scout Troop 34 at Grace-St. Luke’s, the troop he joined in 1968. He is an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Silver Beaver Award for service to Scouting. George retired in early 2021, after a 42 year career in the property and casualty insurance industry as a sales representative, account manager and account executive.
George is a 1979 graduate of The University of the South (B.A. Economics) and currently serves on its Board of Trustees, and as a member of the Board’s University Relations and New Trustee Orientation standing committees. His current term will expire on June 30, 2025, and he asks the Convention to re-elect him for another term:
“Sewanee is making great strides since the election and installation of its 18th Vice-Chancellor and President, Robert Pearigen, in 2023, an alumnus (1976), former Sewanee Dean and Vice-President, and President of Millsaps College before returning to Sewanee. His plans and visions are enumerated in the recently approved strategic plan Elevating Mind, Heart and Place, and I ask to be a part of that progress for the next three years. Thank you.”
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.
Bishop and Council
Lay, Term Expiring 2026
Patricia Easley
Member, Grace Episcopal Church (Paris)
Dr. Patricia (Patty) Easley has been a professor of Physical Therapy at Jackson State Community College in the Physical Therapist Assistant program for 21 years. She currently serves on the Tennessee Council of Academic Physical Therapy as the PTA Representative. She also currently serves on the Tennessee Consortium of International Education’s Advisory Board. In addition to her full-time teaching load for JSCC, she will be teaching a medical terminology course to Tennessee community college students in The Alps in the summer of 2024. A resident of Huntingdon, she is a communicant of Grace Church in Paris where she is an occasional soprano soloist and flautist. For relaxation, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time on the farm with her family and animals.
Clergy, Term Expiring 2027
The Rev. Paul McLain
Clergy, Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
The Reverend Paul McLain has served as associate rector of Calvary, Memphis since September 2015. At the diocesan level, he is a member of the Church Home Board and Endowment Corporation Board. Paul was diocesan delegate to the Province IV racial healing pilgrimage in 2019. He is chaplain for the diocesan Daughters of the King and JOY chapter of DoK at Calvary. Paul is past president of the Downtown Churches Association and member of the Memphis Christian Pastors Network. He is a tutor for Literacy Mid-South. Paul served on the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of Kansas and Board of Trustees in the Diocese of Arkansas. Prior to ordination, his previous careers were in construction management and community development. Paul is married to Ruthie McLain, an attorney, who serves on the Standing Committee and Committee on Constitution & Canons, and started Baseball with the Bishop!
Lay, Term Expiring 2027
Ebet Peeples
Member, Calvary Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Ebet Peeples has served Calvary Church for 24 years as the Assistant to the Rector for Welcome and Community, where she greets visitors and welcomes newcomers into the life of the parish. Ebet also coordinates parish sacraments and services including baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Ebet has served as a faculty member for Church Pension Group Clergy Wellness (CREDO) conferences since 2010 and has presented on the topic of evangelism and new member incorporation at Episcopal Parish Network (formerly CEEP) conferences, at an Evangelism Matters conference, and at Mary Parmer’s Invite • Welcome • Connect Summit. In the diocese, Ebet has served on the St. Columba board and on the Commission on Ministry. Outside of church, she serves as Assistant-Cubmaster of GSL’s Cub Scout Pack 34. Ebet has a BA in Justice from The American University in Washington, DC. She and her husband Clayton are the parents of Ella and Jack.
Disciplinary Board
Clergy, Term Expiring 2025
The Rev. Dr. Randy McCloy
Deacon, Church of the Holy Communion (Memphis)
The Rev. Randy McCloy was born and raised in Memphis, educated in Memphis public schools, and then attended Yale University, Rhodes College, and received medical training at UTCHS, with fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic. He served two years in the US Army (1967-69), including one year in Viet Nam. He had a medical practice in gastroenterology until 2013. Randy has been a member of Church of Holy Communion since 1980, serving on two vestries, and as Senior Warden in 2006. He attended Memphis Theological Seminary (2007-2010) and was ordained a deacon in November 2009. He served at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in 2010, and has been at Holy Communion since then. With the Bishop’s permission, he has served at Immanuel/LaGrange since 2011.
Lay, Term Expiring 2025
Nedra Wick
Member, Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Nedra has been an attorney/mediator/arbitrator/guardian ad litem for over 40 years and since 2000 has owned and operated her own law firm. She has been an active Episcopalian since 1996. At All Saint’s – Atlanta, she served as a lector, Eucharistic minister, and verger. From 2004 – 2006, she chaired the Mark Emory Graham Chapter of the Verger’s Guild and assisted the Diocese of Atlanta to expand the ministry through greater exposure and in-person training in the parishes. After her term of office ended, Nedra continued to serve as a verger with the Diocese and the Bishop of Atlanta. As a member of the Diocesan Disciplinary Committee, Nedra used her skills as an attorney, mediator and verger to assist with challenging cases. She became an associate with the Sisters of St. Mary – Sewanee in 2000 on the Feast Day of St. Francis. In 2019, she and her spouse of over 30 years, Rebecca, moved to Memphis where they found a home with Grace-St. Luke’s. When they are not sitting in the pew together, look for Nedra to be serving as a verger and Rebecca as a lector.
Clergy, Term Expiring 2026
Two Clergy to be Elected
The Rev. Jay Biedenharn
Rector, Saint John’s Episcopal Church (Memphis)
Father Jay has served as rector of Saint John’s Episcopal Church since 2019. When growing up in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Jay would have never dreamt that one day he’d be an Episcopal priest living in Memphis. It’s a great story and he’d love to tell you about it. When he’s not doing the life-giving and sacred work of a parish priest, you’ll find him learning how to swing a tennis racquet or fishing rod. Father Jay believes words matter, so you’ll usually find him reading something. Jay, his wife, Louise, and their two daughters live in Central Gardens in Memphis.
The Rev. Jeff Marx
Rector, St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Collierville)
I have served as a priest in this diocese since 1999, twenty-two of those years as rector of St. Andrews. I am an MSSW and worked ten years at Youth Villages as a counselor and Director of Training and Performance Improvement. I would seek to serve with honesty, fairness and in the spirit of Christ if elected .
Lay, Term Expiring 2026
Ben Adams
Member, Church of the Holy Communion (Memphis)
Ben Adams is a long-time member, former Senior Warden and Capital Campaign Chairman for Church of the Holy Communion. In the Diocese, he has served as a trustee of St. Mary’s Episcopal School and as a member of the Search and Nominating Committee for our fourth Bishop. Professionally, Ben is a practicing attorney with special focus on matters of estate and corporate law. He was Chairman of his firm, Baker Donelson, for a combined total of 21 years and currently serves as its Chairman Emeritus. He is a past director of the Memphis Chamber of Commerce and a past Chairman of Memphis Tomorrow, an association of the CEOs of Memphis’ largest enterprises who collaborate for the betterment of the city.
University of the South Trustee
Clergy, Term Expiring 2027
The Rev. Lisa McIndoo
Rector, Church of the Holy Apostles (Collierville)
The Rev. Lisa McIndoo graduated from The School of Theology at the University of the South in 2016 earning a Masters in Divinity. She and her family stayed in Sewanee until 2017 as Lisa served a small parish (St. John the Baptist) at the bottom of the mountain in Battle Creek, Tennessee. Her husband, Bill, worked at the University in Marketing and Communications and her son, Noah, graduated from Sewanee in 2019. The McIndoo’s visit the Holy Mountain frequently and were recently present at All Saints for Noah’s wedding to his college sweetheart.
“Driving through the gates of the Domain never fails to put a lump in my throat. It is holy ground for us and for so many people that visit. I am excited about the future of the University and I am proud to call Sewanee my alma mater.”
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
Resolutions
DEADLINE: October 2, 2024
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 2, 2024 to be included in the Convention Book and posted to the website.
However, resolutions will be accepted through Thursday, October 17, 2024. Any resolution received between October 3 and October 17 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.
