Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina

Diocesan Convention approved the following amendment to the proposed 2012 Statement of Mission:

Add $5,000 to line #140, to provide funds for a Race Relations committee

A delegate reminded Convention of the standing resolution.

Mr. Belton Zeigler, Chancellor, explained to Convention that a standing resolution is only binding in the convention in which it was approved unless Convention votes annually to uphold the standing resolution.

What does Upper South Carolina’s SOM fund?

Essential in the mind of the SOM Committee, in recommending a preliminary Statement of Mission, will be those goals previously named by Bishop Waldo:  leadership development at all ages, vocational discernment for lay and clergy alike, and congregational development.  Another of Bishop Waldo’s priorities is outreach, which is demonstrated in the SOM in the form of Matthew 25, World Missions, Cange, Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) support. 

The Commissions will be charged to make funding recommendations based on these goals, keeping in mind that the purpose of the SOM is to fund those ministries that can be carried out most effectively at the diocesan level.  Many of our congregations are involved in wonderful ministries and the SOM cannot support them all.  It is for this reason that we honor requests primarily from committees, commissions, institutions, mission congregations and other entities that are carrying out ministry at the diocesan level. 

Development Process

Any group seeking funding from Upper South Carolina’s 2012 Statement of Mission (SOM) submitted a request by February 15, 2011.  The February deadline was earlier than that of previous years because some delegates felt that they did not have enough opportunity to review and comment on the SOM throughout the process.  The new deadline allows time for convocations to review the requests at their first quarter meetings.

Any new or expanding outreach ministry that is carried out locally, regionally or nationally will use the Matthew 25 grant application form. 

Each commission will be responsible for making recommendations on line items within its scope.  The Statement of Mission Committee will use the commission and convocation recommendations to develop the first draft of the SOM, which will then be sent back to the commissions and convocations for further comment and recommendations to the Statement of Mission Committee.  Once all recommendations are received, the SOM Committee, a sub-committee of the Commission on the Diocese, will construct and recommend a balanced preliminary Statement of Mission for submission to the Diocesan Executive Council.