54th Annual Diocesan Convention Election Results, Survey, and More

PARRISH – The following are election results by the 54th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Southwest Florida, meeting at The Cathedral Church of St. Peter in St. Petersburg on December 10, 2022.

Take the Convention survey here

Delegates at the convention voted in person via the VPoll voting application. Please see the election results below:

 

Election A: Standing Committee, Lay: Two lay persons to serve a three-year term.

1. The Hon. Jack Day, Esq.
2. Ms. Jacqueline (Jackie) L. Smith

Election B: Standing Committee, Presbyter: One presbyter to a three-year term.

1. The V. Rev. Ryan R. Whitley

 

Election C: Diocesan Council, At large, Clergy: Elect one clergy person to a two-year term.

1. The Rev. Edward F.P. Gibbons

 

Election D (1 & 2): Ecclesiastical Disciplinary Board, Lay: (D1) Elect one Lay person to a 3-year term. (D2) Elect one person to an unexpired 2-year term.

D1: 1. Mr. Ray U Stoll

D2: 1. Mr. Robert K. Sawyer, Jr.

 

Election E (1 &2): Ecclesiastical Disciplinary Board, Clergy: (E1) Elect two (2) clergy to a 3-year term. (E2) Elect one (1) clergy to an unexpired 1-year term.

E1: 1. The Rev. Whitney A. Burton, 2. The Rev. Joseph D. Hudson

E2: 1. The Rev. Michael S. Rau

 

Election F. University of the South Trustee, Lay: Elect one lay person to a three-year term, which begins 7/1/2023 and ends 6/30/2026.

1. Gregory A. Hearing, Esq.

 

Election G. University of the South Trustee, Clergy: Elect one (1) clergy person to a three-year term, which begins 7/1/2023 and ends 6/30/2026.

1. The Rev. Robert B. Crow

 

Election H. General Convention, Lay: Elect four lay deputies to a two-year term. (Two-year term instead of three-year term due to COVID-19 impact on the order of General Convention.)

L1. Dr. Navita Cummings
L2. Mrs. Joan Kline
L3. Ms. Jacqueline (Jackie) L. Smith
L4. Mrs. Melissa L. Rau

Alternates:
1. Mr. Duane A. Hollier
2. Ms. Anna C. Haeffner
3. Mr. Peter Dombrowski

Election I. General Convention, Clergy: Elect four clergy deputies to a two-year term. (Two-year term instead of three-year term due to COVID-19 impact on the order of General Convention.)

C1. The Very Rev. Ryan R. Whitley
C2. The Rev. Adrienne R. Hymes
C3. The Rev. Roy W. Tuff
C4. The Very Rev. Bryan D. O’Carroll

Alternates
1. The Rev. A. Charles Cannon, III
2. The Rev. Matthew T. Grunfeld

The convention also affirmed Diocesan Council elections, held in September. These are:

  • Clearwater Deanery – Ms. Connie Mehr (St. Andrew’s, Spring Hill – 1st Term)
  • Ft. Myers Deanery – Ms. Paula Paquette (Iona-Hope, Fort Myers – 2nd Term).
  • Manasota Deanery – The Rev. Matthew T. Grunfeld (Annunciation, Holmes Beach – 3rd Term)
  • Naples Deanery – Mr. Tom Connolly (St. Paul’s, Naples – 2nd Term)
  • St. Petersburg Deanery – Mrs. Susan Darrow (The Cathedral Church of St. Peter– 1st Term)
  • Tampa Deanery – The Rev. Alissa Anderson (St. Peter’s, Plant City – 2nd Term)
  • Venice Deanery – The Rev. Vickie L. McDonald (St. David’s, Englewood – 3rd Term)

After the convention, the newly formed Standing Committee, elected new officers. These officers are:

    • President: The Rev. Carla McCook
    • Vice President: The Very Rev. Michelle Robertshaw
    • Secretary: The Very Rev. Ryan Whitley
    • Liaison to the C.O.M.: The Rev. A. Charles Cannon
    • Members:
      Presbyters:
      The Rev. A. Charles Cannon, III [2024 – 2nd term]
      The Rev. Carla B. McCook [2023 – 2nd term]
      The Very Rev. Michelle L. Robertshaw [2023- 1st term]
      The Rev. James C. Teets [2024 – 2nd term]
      The Very Rev. Ryan R. Whitley [2025 – 2nd term]

      Lay Members:
      Mr. Duane A. Hollier, Sr. [2024 – 2nd term]
      Mr. James H. Corn [2023 – 2nd term]
      Ms. Jacqueline Smith [2025 – 2nd term]
      The Hon. Jack Day [2025 – 1st term]

 

The members of the 54th Diocesan Convention affirmed the 2023 Diocesan Budget and approved that Canon XIX of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, Inc., be deleted in its entirety.

The members of the 54th Diocesan Convention also affirmed that Canon XX is renumbered as Canon XIX, Ecclesiastical Discipline, subparagraph 2.e, of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida be amended as follows:

(ii) b. the addition of the sentence: In the event the President of the Board is unavailable, incapacitated, or disqualified, the Bishop Diocesan shall appoint a replacement Board member of the same order as the replaced President.

section g.: the addition of the sentence: In the event the President is permanently unavailable, incapacitated or disqualified, the Bishop Diocesan shall appoint a member of the Board to serve as President for the remainder of the term from the same order as the Board member being replaced.

A full video of the day’s events, including elections and election results, is available by video HERE.