A Summary of the Business Transacted during
The Triennial 2009 Convention of the Order of the Daughters of the King,
July 2-5, Anaheim, California
July 2: The business meeting was called to order by President Joan Dalrymple, and opened with prayer.
Deborah Tischler, Chair of the Nomination Committee, introduced 23 nominees for the 15 positions on National Council. Attendees had information on all the nominees in their convention packets. Each nominee addressed the Triennial for two minutes on the following questions:
1) What is your position on granting voting rights to delegates of all U.S. Chapters?
2) What strategies might you employ to restore trust among all members of the Order?
July 3: Kim Ferguson, Chair of the Credentials Committee submitted the official roll of the voting delegates of the Daughters of the King 45thTriennial Convention: 298 delegates and 26 alternates.
The report was challenged by Nancy Wyant, Diocese of Northern California, who moved to amend the report “by striking out non-Episcopalian delegates who have been included on the roll of delegates submitted.”
After debate, the motion was passed and the amended Credentials report was adopted. Seventeen delegates were asked to leave their seats and join the observers at the back of the room.
The proposed convention rules were adopted after two changes were made. Time limits for debate were included in the rules. The following addition was made to Rule # 10: “Resolutions referring issues back to the National Council to be brought to the 2012 triennial may be in order.” Rule # 15 was added to read: “In casting a ballot for the election of the National Council, a delegate may choose to vote for up to 15 candidates without the ballot being void. Any ballot that the machine rejects should be hand counted.” The agenda was also adopted.
That afternoon the delegates heard a detailed report on the finances of the Order from Treasurer Kathy Wohnoutka, who was given a standing ovation. They also heard from Steve Goodman, whose firm who manages the investment of our Endowment Fund according to the investment policy the Council passed in 2008. The firm is not a brokerage and does not have custody of the assets themselves. The firm receives management fees based on growth, and allocates 20% of its fees to philanthropic endeavors. In our case, $1000 went to the Self-Denial Fund, and the Rev. Mercy Wangechi’s work with refugees in Kenya was featured in the firm’s newsletter.
President Joan Dalrymple turned the meeting over to First Vice-President Brenda Neal for consideration of the proposed bylaws amendments. A bylaw amendment requires a two thirds vote for passage. The first, presented by Lena Nealley, Chair of the Bylaws Committee, had a 20 minute time frame for consideration. The Bylaws Committee proposed the following amendment to Article III, Membership, Section 1: “All members must be baptized women communicants of the Episcopal Church, or of other churches in communion with the Episcopal Church, or of churches with the historic episcopate but not in communion with the Episcopal Church. Every member of the Order is referred to as a Daughter in these by-laws. All members paying full dues are entitled to equal membership status, right to vote and hold office.”
A substitute amendment was moved by Claudia Spencer, Diocese of Los Angeles: “All members must be women communicants of the Episcopal Church (hereinafter known as TEC, formerly known as the Episcopal Church of the United States of America). At no time shall any non-TEC person have seat or voice or vote or hold office or serve as chaplain in TEC Daughters of the King.”
Both proposals were debated. An attempt to extend debate time was blocked by a move to end debate. The vote to substitute the amendment from the floor failed, 122 for, 152 against. The committee proposal failed to get a two-thirds vote, 144 for, 130 against.
Lisa Gadd, West Virginia, moved that the delegates whose credentials were withdrawn earlier be reinstated. Debate followed. The parliamentarian, Coco Siewert, ruled that the motion was in order. Seventeen delegates were reinstated by a vote of 142 for, 125 against.
July 4: President Dalrymple read a letter of encouragement from former president Laurie Ann Herman.
Jen Mariano, Junior Daughters Chair, moved “the establishment of the Alpha Fund to provide financial support for the ministry of the Junior Daughters with an ingathering date of September 5th.”
After explanation and discussion, the motion was adopted by acclamation.
Nancy Sheffield, Province IV, announced an initial contribution of $200 in honor of Jessica Palmer, a Jr. Daughter who lived an exemplary life and died tragically in an accident in December. The National Council had already voted to contribute $10,000 to the new Fund in anticipation that it would be created, and the offering Sunday morning was also for the new Alpha Fund.
Deborah Tischler asked the 23 nominees for Council to rise, and entertained nominations from the floor. The 23 nominees for National Council 2009-2012 were: Melinda (Missy) Denney, nominated by the Diocese of W. Texas; Peggy Denny, nominated by Upper S Carolina; Kimberly (Kim) Ferguson, nominated by S Carolina; Kathyleen (Kathy) Funk, nominated by the diocese of Nevada; Sheila Gerth, nominated by the Diocese of Texas; Carolyn Holliday-McClintock, nominated by the Diocese of Michigan; Ann Holmes, nominated by the diocese of Colorado; Sylvia James, nominated by the Diocese of Tennessee; Jenny Lafougad, nominated by the Diocese of Los Angeles; Phyllis Larson, nominated by the Diocese of W. Massachusetts; Jennifer Mariano, nominated by the Diocese of Maryland; Vanessa Menz, who is an Episcopalian but has been nominated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; Janet O’Brien, nominated by the Diocese of Atlanta; Patti Joy Posan, nominated by the Diocese of S.W. Florida; Cheryl Quintero, nominated by the Diocese of Montana; Ellen Riley, nominated by the Diocese of W North Carolina; Monteil Rimmer, nominated by the Diocese of E. Michigan; Marge Rogers, nominated by the Diocese of Long Island; Pam Runyon, nominated by the Diocese of E. Carolina; Grace Sears, nominated by the Diocese of Lexington; Nancy Sheffield, nominated by the Diocese of Central Gulf Coast and the Diocese of N. Carolina; Andi Silberman, nominated by the Diocese of Alabama; Chesley Vohden, nominated by the Diocese of S.W. Virginia.
There were seven nominations from the floor: Cherlyn Mitchell, Diocese of Atlanta; Karen Potts, Diocese of Oklahoma; Keeva Harmon, Diocese of Washington; Joan Engskow, Diocese of Southwest Florida; Lana Valenta of Dallas; Minnie Crosby of Florida; and Beverly Rubeck of Indianapolis. Each of the nominees from the floor addressed the convention for two minutes on the same two questions the first 23 nominees had addressed.
Kim Ferguson, again moved the credentials committee report: Delegates, 299, Alternates, 26 (One delegate came late).
Phyllis Larson provided directions on marking the paper ballots as they were handed out. The marked ballots were collected and taken to another room for scanning, where Ethel Ripley and Elizabeth Hart-Mitchelson served as poll watchers. Attendees heard the President’s report, the Triennial Chair’s Report, and the Treasurer’s report of the offerings to the three Funds of the Order: Self Denial,$3279; Master’s fund, $1801 ; and Endowment, $1679.
Lunch was delayed an hour to complete the election.
President Joan Dalrymple announced the fifteen new members of Council when the business meeting resumed in the afternoon: Jennifer Mariano, Grace Sears, Phyllis Larson, Peggy Denny, Kim Ferguson, Missy Denney, Vanessa Menz, Pam Runyon, Chelsea Vohden, Ann Holmes, Keeva Harmon, Marjorie Rogers, Sheila Gerth, Nancy Sheffield, and Lana Valenta. She then turned over the gavel to Brenda Neal for consideration of Bylaws proposals.
Lena Nealley moved a portion of package 2 of the bylaws proposal, Article III, section 3, A & B:
Section 3 A. Discernment Period: Every woman seeking to become a member of the Order shall participate in a period of preparation, prayer, service and concentrated study at least three months in length, using an approved study guide and led by a Daughter if possible, before being admitted to the Order.
Section 3 B. Admission to a Chapter; a woman is admitted to the Order as a member of a chapter.
1) In an existing or newly formed chapter, a woman who is approved by the senior clergy and accepts the two Rules of the Order shall be eligible for membership in that chapter after the appropriate discernment period.
2) Similarly, a woman who meets membership requirements, is approved by the head of an institution and its chaplain (or the Bishop if it is a non-church-related institution), and accepts the two Rules of the Order shall be eligible for membership in an institutional chapter after the appropriate discernment period.
Nancy Wyant, Diocese of Northern California, moved an amendment to Article III, Section 3B (1: that the words “senior clergy” be changed to “rector or priest in charge.” Seconded, Lyn Holman, Diocese of Northern California.
After a period of debate, the question was called, and debate was ended by voice vote. The proposal to replace “senior clergy” with “rector or priest in charge” failed. The bylaw amendment as proposed from committee received a majority, but fell short of the required two thirds (172 for, 99 against).
Elizabeth Hart-Mitchelson, Diocese of Los Angeles, moved to extend debate on bylaws by 45 minutes, but the extension was not adopted.
Brenda Neal announced that the two hours allotted for debate on bylaws had expired, so no further amendments could be considered. Lena Nealley was given a standing ovation.
President Joan Dalrymple thanked everyone and made several announcements. She then adjourned the business portion of the 45th convention of the Order of the Daughters of the King.
(Note: these are not official minutes; the official minutes are more detailed and will be reviewed and approved by a committee chaired by the new National Secretary, Sheila Gerth. Grace Sears, former Secretary. )
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