Schedule

Below is the schedule for diocesan convention. Two specific spots are mandatory for parochial clergy and lay delegates: Saturday morning check-in and the business meeting. Please continue to check this schedule as we add additional offerings and publications. 

Pre-Convention Activity

Continuing to leverage technology to increase access to pre-convention orientations, presentations, and hearings and to be good stewards of resources, we will host a delegate orientation to orient clergy and lay delegates and alternates to this year’s diocesan convention. All clergy and lay delegates and alternates are encouraged to attend this meeting. A recording will be available afterward on the convention website homepage and below.

Clergy and lay delegates and alternates will receive a direct invitation to register for the delegation meeting. Please look for an email from Bro. Andrew outlining each meeting with its corresponding Zoom registration link.

A pre-recorded presentation will be available to all to watch from the Mr. Jimmy Stewart (Diocesan Treasurer), Canon Cheryl Bullis (Canon for Finance and Administration), and Bishop Brian Cole on behalf of the Finance Committee for the Budget Hearing. This video will be available after the Delegate Orientation.

We will also replay the recording prior to the hearing listed below beginning at 11:30 am Eastern.

Join members of the General Resolutions Committee for their hearing ahead of our business session. They will be taking up one resolution for consideration. As such, there will not be a General Resolutions Presentation. The resolution will be made available in future emails, on the convention website, and in the convention PDF. This meeting is open to all East Tennesse Episcopalians. Please register for the Zoom meeting.

Join members of the Constitution and Canons Committee for their hearing on resolutions and issues pertinent to the diocesan constitution and canons. This meeting is open to all East Tennessee Episcopalians. Please register for the Zoom meeting.

Join members of the Elections Committee for a special session to meet the nominees for elected positions at the convention. Learn more about where the candidates are from, which community they belong to, and what their hopes are for engaging and participating in diocesan work on their respective bodies.

The Budget Hearing will take place prior to the in-person portion of the convention. The budget presentation recording will be available beginning Friday, January 30, in both your inbox, and here. We will play the presentation 30 minutes prior to the hearing. 

This meeting is open to all East Tennessee Episcopalians. Please register for the Zoom meeting.

Diocesan Convention Schedule

Friday, February 20, 2026

All parochial clergy, church staff, and convention delegates are required to be in compliance and current with their Safe Church requirements by Saturday, February 21, 2026. To help with this the diocese will offer in-person training from 12:00-4:00 PM on Friday, February 20th at Church of the Ascension. This just in time opportunity is before Convention Eucharist. This training is for clergy and convention delegates who still need to complete their course requirements. Additional public in-person opportunities will be offered throughout 2026 and online training can be completed any time before the deadline.  

For more information about Safe Church Requirements, visit: https://dioet.org/safe-church/. If you have any questions, contact your Parish Safe Church Coordinator or Emily Kirk, Diocesan Parish Support Specialist and Safe Church Administrator at ekirk@dioet.org or 865-966-2110.  

Join Bruce Glanville and members of the Carbon Neutrality Task Force for a demonstration of a “blower test”, a method of visually finding building inefficiencies. Learn about how this testing method can increase your building efficiency, reducing your utility costs, and increasing your dollars for ministry. We’ll also have information on carbon neutrality for parishes, our new carbon footprint assesment analysis process, and more. Participants will have time to travel to the Community CPR class should they wish to attend both. 

According to the American Heart Association, immediate CPR can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival after cardiac arrest. To make this lifesaving skill accessible to as many people as possible, the diocese is offering a free Community CPR session. Attendees will have the chance to learn CPR and other vital lifesaving techniques from certified instructors and ask any questions they may have. Please note, this is not a formal certification course. If you are interested in receiving official certification or hosting a training session at your parish, please speak with the instructors on-site or contact a local organization. 

All are invited to attend the diocesan convention Holy Eucharist worship service held at Church of the Ascension, Knoxville. This year, we are celebrating the feast of Frederick Douglass and our service will feature a sermon by Bishop Phoebe Roaf, Diocesan Bishop of West Tennessee. 

A livestream will be availble on this website for viewing and a recording will be available afterwards. 

After the convention eucharist, a social hour will be held in the Church of the Ascension parish hall (downstairs). Meet your fellow delegates, clergy, diocesan staff, and visitors.

Saturday, February 21, 2026

Check-in for clergy and lay delegates as well as visitors will begin at 8:00 am at the Episcopal School of Knoxville (950 Episcopal School Way, Knoxville, TN 37932). Please note that participation in any events on Friday does not count toward check-in. We must ensure a proper count for the business meeting and know which visitors are present for the day of the business meeting.

Please look for the registration table the Siler Gym lobby.

This year’s Ministry Fair will be located in Googe Hall. Learn more about various ministries that are affiliated and associated with our diocese. Refreshments will also be available in Googe Hall.

Called to Serve: Stories and Pathways to Licensed Lay Ministry
Freida Herron, Ed Hochnedel, and Rev. Mandy Lippe 

Lay preachers Ed Hochnedel and Freida Herron will share stories about lay preaching ministry and the newly formed Episcopal Preaching Foundation Lay Preaching Network. Rev. Mandy Lippe will provide an overview of the revised pathway for diocesan-trained lay licensed ministry. Join us to learn about the resources and continuing education now available for lay preachers, and discover how our diocese is expanding and strengthening the pathways for lay ministry formation and service.  

Nurturing the Inner Life: Godly Play & Contemplative Parenting (morning only)
Kathleen Crevasse 

This workshop explores the practices that ground the intersection of Godly Play and contemplative parenting and discover how they transform not just our work with children, but our own spiritual lives as well. Whether you guide children in your parish, at home, or across both spaces, this workshop invites you into a deeper way of being with children—one that honors their innate experiences of being with God. 

The School for Contemplation and Discipleship: An Overview and Invitation 
Canon Emily Bruner Doane and Rev Casey Perkins 

Canon Emily Bruner-Doane will present the development of the School for Contemplation & Discipleship, highlighting the events and resources now available on the new website. Together with Rev. Casey Perkins, she will introduce Breathe, a new day retreat offering from the school designed for parishes to host in their own communities. Discover how the school’s contemplative formation resources can deepen spiritual life and discipleship in your parish and community.  

Rooted and Ready: Thinking Outside the Box of Adult Formation 
Rev. Claire Brown 

Join Rev. Claire Brown for an opportunity to engage with the changing landscape of adult formation. Whether you’re launching a new program or revitalizing an existing one, you’ll discover new energy, connect with like-minded leaders, and develop your skills to lead and teach God’s word.

Head to Siler Gym to gather ahead of the business meeting with music and morning prayer led by our diocesan youth. 

The business meeting will begin promptly at 10:30 AM, break for lunch, ministry fair, and workshops and then resume at 2:30 PM until adjournment. Please ensure that you have downloaded and familiarized yourself with the convention PDF (released in early February 2026) prior to arriving to the business meeting.

It would not be a proper convention without lunch! Make sure to grab your lunch before heading to a workshop or visiting the ministry open house.

Called to Serve: Stories and Pathways to Licensed Lay Ministry
Freida Herron, Ed Hochnedel, and Rev. Mandy Lippe 

Lay preachers Ed Hochnedel and Freida Herron will share stories about lay preaching ministry and the newly formed Episcopal Preaching Foundation Lay Preaching Network. Rev. Mandy Lippe will provide an overview of the revised pathway for diocesan-trained lay licensed ministry. Join us to learn about the resources and continuing education now available for lay preachers, and discover how our diocese is expanding and strengthening the pathways for lay ministry formation and service.  

Youth Panel: Opportunities, Experiences, and Strategies (afternoon only) 
Jesse Adkins and members of the Diocesan Youth Council 

Enjoy this opportunity to hear from a panel of youth who have distinguished themselves as leaders in the diocesan youth community. They will discuss various opportunities for youth to get involved, share their experiences of how youth ministry has transformed their lives, and offer suggestions for how to boost youth participation in your parish. If your parish is trying to figure out how to engage youth or you are looking to get involved with diocesan youth ministry, this is a great opportunity to ask questions and learn! 

The School for Contemplation and Discipleship: An Overview and Invitation
Canon Emily Bruner Doane and Rev Casey Perkins 

Canon Emily Bruner-Doane will present the development of the School for Contemplation & Discipleship, highlighting the events and resources now available on the new website. Together with Rev. Casey Perkins, she will introduce Breathe, a new day retreat offering from the school designed for parishes to host in their own communities. Discover how the school’s contemplative formation resources can deepen spiritual life and discipleship in your parish and community.  

Rooted and Ready: Thinking Outside the Box of Adult Formation
Rev. Claire Brown 

Join Rev. Claire Brown for an opportunity to engage with the changing landscape of adult formation. Whether you’re launching a new program or revitalizing an existing one, you’ll discover new energy, connect with like-minded leaders, and develop your skills to lead and teach God’s word. 

Adjournment

Convention will end with the completion of our afternoon business meeting session.