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Constitution
ARTICLE I
JURISDICTION AND ACCESSION
The Clergy and Laity of that portion of the Episcopal Church located in
the State of South Carolina lying north and west of the counties of
Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee, Sumter, Calhoun, Orangeburg and Barnwell,
known as the Diocese of Upper South Carolina, for the purpose of
establishing orderly government of the Episcopal Church within these
boundaries, and to avail themselves of the advantages of the Word and
Sacraments of God's Holy Church, do establish this CONSTITUTION. The Diocese
of Upper South Carolina is within the jurisdiction of The Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States of America, otherwise known as The
Episcopal Church, which is a constituent member of the Anglican Communion, a
Fellowship within the One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, of those duly
constituted Dioceses, Provinces, and regional Churches in communion with the
See of Canterbury, upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order as
set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. This Diocese accedes to and adopts
the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church and acknowledges its
authority.
ARTICLE II
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
The legislative authority of the Diocese shall be vested in a Convention
selected from the membership of the Diocese and convened annually or by
special call, as set forth in the Canons of the Diocese, to exercise its
authority as granted by this Constitution and the Canons promulgated
hereunder.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS OF THE DIOCESE
The Bishop of the Diocese shall be President of the Convention, and the
Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese. If the Bishop is absent or unable
to serve, the Bishop Coadjutor, or the Suffragan Bishop, if there is one,
shall administer the duties of President of Convention and Ecclesiastical
Authority of the Diocese. Should none of them be present, the Presiding
Officer of the Diocesan Executive Council shall be the President of the
Convention and if the Presiding Officer of the Diocesan Executive Council is
not present, a presiding officer shall be elected by the Convention. The
Diocesan Executive Council, in performance of its duties as The Standing
Committee, shall be the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese in the
absence of an Episcopal officer as described above. Whenever in this
Constitution or the Canons promulgated hereunder the term "Bishop" is used
without the adjectives "Coadjutor", "Suffragan", or "Assistant", the term
shall refer to the Diocesan Bishop.
The other officers of the Diocese shall be a Chancellor, a
Vice-Chancellor if needed, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Registrar, who
shall also perform the duties of Historiographer, and such other officers as
the Bishop and the Diocesan Executive Council deem necessary.
ARTICLE IV
DIOCESAN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
The affairs of the Diocese are to be managed by the Bishop of the
Diocese, The Standing Committee, which shall consist as provided for in the
Canons of the Diocese, and by such other officers and committees as may be
provided for from time to time by the Canons. The Standing Committee shall
also assume the responsibilities of the Diocesan Executive Council as
defined in the Canons of the Diocese. The Canons and such By-Laws as shall
be enacted shall provide for the time and manner in which the Diocesan
Executive Council and other officers and committees are elected or
appointed.
ARTICLE V
STATEMENT OF MISSION AND MINISTRY
The Diocese recognizes that the Diocesan budget and other financial
resources of the Diocese exemplifies the Mission and Ministry of the
Diocese. In furtherance of the Mission and Ministry of the Diocese, the
Diocesan Executive Council, in conjunction with the Bishop, shall be
responsible for requesting the Episcopal Pledge from each congregation of
the Diocese. After a complete review of the needs for the Mission and
Ministry of the Diocese for the coming year, the Episcopal Pledge shall be
established by the Diocesan Executive Council in the most cost effective
method for achieving that part of the Mission and Ministry of the Diocese
which cannot be accomplished by individual congregations. The process for
development of the budget, along with the total balances of all assets and
liabilities of the Diocese which are necessary for the Mission and Ministry
of the Diocese, shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this
Constitution and the Canons promulgated hereunder.
ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT
This Constitution may be amended by concurrence of a majority at one
Annual Convention, and by two-thirds of each order present at the next
Annual Convention. The amendment shall become effective immediately upon the
successful vote.
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