Preload icon

120th Council of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas: February 22-24, 2024

Submitting Your Name for Elected Office of the Diocese

We encourage nominations to be submitted through the online Elected Offices Nomination for Council 2024. If you need assistance submitting your online nomination form, you may call the diocesan office, at (210/888) 824-5387.

Nomination forms are due no later than November 3, 2023. All persons recommended must be 18 years-of-age or older and must be communicants within the convocation from which they are being nominated. Nominees are not required to attend Diocesan Council in order to be considered.

Elected Offices to be Filled at Council

2024 Elected Offices Nomination Form for Council

2024 Diocesan Constitution and Canons

2024 Event Details

Dates & Deadlines | Registration | Pre-Council Meetings | Agenda | Business | Reports

Council 2024 will convene in-person February 22 - 24, at the Convention Center in San Marcos, TX. Clergy, as well as lay delegates will assemble to hear ministry reports, conduct the annual business of the Diocese, worship together, participate in workshops, and share fellowship.

A selection of reports and worship services will be broadcast live on the diocesan Facebook, Vimeo, and website, at dwtx.org/council.

Council 2024 Booklet

No printed copies of the Booklet will be provided at Council. The Council 2024 Booklet will published online in January 2024 and distributed to lay delegates, alternates, and clergy for review during the Pre-Council Meetings.

Important Dates and Deadlines

  • November 3, 2023: Nomination forms for communicants willing to serve in elected offices of the diocese due.
  • December 31, 2023: Resolutions for consideration are due to Canon Caroline Mowen.
  • January 2024: Online Certification forms due. Exhibitor registration closes, and hotel reservations close.
  • January 2024: Pre-Council Convocational Meetings (dates to be announced).
  • February 1, 2024: Parochial Report due to The Episcopal Church; End of Year Diocesan Supplemental Reports due. Guest and childcare registration closes.
  • February 22 - 24, 2024: 120th Diocesan Council of the Diocese of West Texas.

Registration

Delegate and Clergy Certification and Registration: Certification and registration (price to be announced) for lay delegates, alternates, clergy, and clergy spouses must be completed using the online forms sent to church offices.

Church offices will be invoiced by the office for their group of clergy, clergy spouse(s), alternates, and delegates after certification is submitted. Contact council@dwtx.org or (210) 824-5387 with questions regarding certification or registration.

Guest Registration: Two guest registration options are available. Guest registration (price to be announced) for all or most of Council includes a Sip'n'Shop reception with hors d'oeuvres, hospitality snack offerings, and the Bishop's luncheon with guest speaker. Guests may also choose to attend Saturday only (price to be announced) for the Bishop Coadjutor election.

Childcare Registration: Onsite childcare is available for infants through ten years old children of lay delegates, alternates, clergy, and Council volunteers during Council Business sessions and activities. Each day will include activities and snacks/meals. Pre-registration for each day is required, so the hosts can plan appropriately.

Exhibitor Registration: Exhibitor Registration is open online, with several booth options available. Thursday evening, a Sip 'n Shop social event will highlight the many vendors in the Exhibit Hall with hors d’oeuvres, drinks, cash bar, and featuring the Gold Sponsor Exhibitors.

Parochial & Year-End Reports

The Parochial Reports and Diocesan Year-End Reports will be made available in December and due by February 1, 2024. It is very important that all churches complete all five reports listed below, regardless of whether they have new information to submit.  

  • The Episcopal Church Parochial Report
  • Necrology from 2023
  • Audit Documentation for Workers Compensation from Church and School
  • Confirmation and Changes to Leadership and Staff
  • 2023 Financial Audit (due May 1)

More information and instructions for each report is available on the Reporting to the Diocese page.

Hotels

The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas will reserve a two-night block of rooms (Thursday and Friday nights, Feb. 22 and 23) in the Embassy Suites by Hilton for clergy, delegates, and alternates attending Council 2024. Guest room reservations must be completed by February 2.

Please confirm the reservation start and end dates reflect your travel preferences before making your reservation. Council 2024 will begin Thursday, February 22 and conclude Saturday, February 24. The default website reservation dates may extend beyond the two nights necessary for Council 2024. Also, be advised that a one-night deposit per room will be required at the time of making the reservation.

Click here to make your reservation.

Questions regarding Council hotel reservations may be directed to council@dwtx.org.

Pre-Council Meetings

The diocesan office will host several online Pre-Council meetings for clergy and lay delegates, via Zoom. These meetings will be required for clergy as well as lay delegates and alternates, in order to review and practice the online voting system as well as preview the usual business items including the proposed diocesan budgets, resolutions, and nominations for elected offices of the Diocese.

  • January 25, 2024- Eastern, Northeastern, Northern, Western Convocations' Pre-Council Meeting
  • January 29, 2024- Southern & Valley Convocations' Pre-Council Meeting
  • January 30, 2024 - Central Convocation's Pre-Council Meeting

Each Pre-Council meeting will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Zoom log-in information will be communicated to churches, delegates, and clergy in January. Lay delegates, alternates, or clergy who cannot attend their assigned meeting may contact council@dwtx.org to receive the Zoom Meeting link for a different date and be added to the voting practice group for that night.

Click here to save a list of the churches in each convocation.

A recording of the final Pre-Council Meeting will be published online here.

Council Agenda

Live Spanish translation will be available for clergy and lay delegates.

Day One: Thursday, February 22
Day Two: Friday, February 23

Day Three: Saturday, February 24

All other members of the Diocese are invited to view Council in its entirety through the live broadcast streamed on the diocesan Facebook, Vimeo, and at dwtx.org/council.

Council in Action

Council in Action is an opportunity for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas and Council participants to serve the community where Council takes place. The Council in Action recipient is identified by the Council Host Church and will be announced at a later date.

Business

Each year, Diocesan Council is the vehicle through which the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas conducts the business of the diocese under its Canons and Constitution. At Council we elect diocesan leadership to the Executive Board, the Standing Committee, the Episcopal Church Corporation, the TMI Episcopal Board of Governors, and trustees of Sewanee: the University of the South. Every third year, Council will also elect deputies and alternates to attend the next General Convention and any Synod meeting of the Province of the Southwest (Province VII).

As Christian people we are accountable for the right use of the gifts and skills with which our Father has blessed us. We are called to elect leaders who will help the bishops in guiding the diocesan body, to budget the resources we have been given wisely, and to report back to the people.

Council will also receive and adopt diocesan budgets for the upcoming year, hear reports from ministries, and receive the written reports of all diocesan committees, commissions, and departments.

Documents

The 2024 Council Booklet will be published online in January. The Council Booklet will include Council event information, the Proposed Diocesan Budgets, Report of the Nominations Committee, Resolutions, and other event details.

No printed copies of the Council Booklet will be provided at Council. Printable versions will be linked below, to be saved to your browser's Downloads folder and printed from home or church offices, if needed.

  • 2024 Council Booklet, to view online or print and bring to San Marcos
  • 2024 Proposed Budgets section of the Council Booklet
  • 2024 Report of the Nominating Committee from the Council Booklet
Reports by Title

A folder of the Reports by Title submitted to Dispatch of Business be linked here in February.

Elected Offices to be Filled
  • Offices to be filled by election at Diocesan Council include: Officers of the Diocese, including Secretary, Treasurer, Chancellor, and others; Members of the Standing Committee; Members of the Executive Board; Trustees of the Episcopal Church Corporation of West Texas; Trustees of Sewanee: the University of the South; and Members of TMI Episcopal Board of Governors.
  • Nominations of communicants willing to serve in elected offices to be filled at Diocesan Council are due in November.
Resolutions
  • The full resolution text and explanations will be included in the Council Booklet.
  • All resolutions to be presented at council are to be submitted before December 31 to Canon Caroline Mowen at caroline.mowen@dwtx.org. Submissions are reviewed by the Committee on Constitution and Canons.
Voting
  • All voting for diocesan council will be accomplished through an online voting application, called Simply Voting. Pre-Council meetings will provide an opportunity for delegates and alternates to Council to practice online voting using Simply Voting.
  • In order to vote during Council, clergy and lay delegates will need an email address and an individual mobile device (e.g. a smart phone, iPad, Tablet, or laptop) to open their email and submit votes from their delegation's table on the Council floor. All ballots for voting will be sent to the email address provided during registration.
  • Churches may only exchange alternates and delegates during predetermined, designated timeframes. Alternates and delegates may not rotate while Council is in session. Instructions for exchanging an alternate for a delegate will be shared during each Pre-Council Meeting.

Contact

Questions about Diocesan Council may be directed to council@dwtx.org.

Communications and Reports

Council Events

Contact

Send us a message, give us a call, or sign up for our Newsletter.

LET'S CONNECT