CONSTITUTION OF THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF TEXAS

Adopted September 7, 2008 A. D., in Special Synod, Fort Worth, Texas.

PREAMBLEIn the Name of The Holy and Undivided Trinity, Amen.The Anglican Diocese of Texas ("the Diocese") is a constituent body of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a continuing Church episcopal in its polity in the Anglican tradition, acknowledging the ancient authority and venerable traditions of the See of Canterbury, as articulated in The Affirmation of St. Louis issued on September 16, A. D. 1977, and promulgated by the Lambeth Conferences held prior to the Synod of A. D. 1985, further elaborated in the Windsor Report of A. D. 2007, and The Jerusalem Statement of June 28, A.D. 2008, and adhering to the Canons of The Western Rite of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, all of which are deemed incorporated herein by reference, of the same force and effect as though set forth herein in full.

ARTICLE I

§1. NAME and JURISDICTION. The Name of this Communion shall be “The Anglican Diocese of Texas”, hereinafter “the Diocese”. The Diocese shall be composed of those Parishes, Missions, and Communities adhering to the Anglican tradition of worship in the contiguous states of the United States of America located west of the Mississippi River who request and are received in membership in the Diocese in accordance with the Canons of the Diocese.

§2. BISHOP ORDINARY. The presiding officer of the Diocese shall be the Bishop Ordinary who shall serve as the chief executive officer and sole voting corporate director so long as he shall hold that office, which shall be relinquished to his successor in that office immediately upon his retirement as Bishop Ordinary.

a. The Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese shall be a Bishop of the Diocese and shall be elected by a vote of not less than two- thirds of the Council of Bishops from one of its eligible members at the Synod next preceding the retirement date

of the incumbent Bishop Ordinary. The Bishop Ordinary- elect shall then be subject to confirmation by a two-thirds vote of each of the other Orders, Clerical and Lay, sitting

separately, at the Synod when the Bishop Ordinary-elect is chosen.

b. The eligibility, term of office, duties, and particulars of the election of the Bishop Ordinary shall be as provided in the Canons and shall conform to the preceding provision of this Constitution.

c. In the event of the resignation, inability to act, or death of the Bishop Ordinary, it shall be the duty of the seniormost Bishop of the Diocese, by date of consecration, to serve as Bishop Ordinary pro tempore for the purpose of governing the

Diocese and promptly to convene the Council of

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Bishops for the purpose of electing a Bishop Ordinary ad interim who shall serve until the next General Synod; provided that, should the said vacancy occur within three months of the date of retirement of the former Bishop Ordinary, then the

office of Bishop Ordinary shall remain vacant until the General Synod is convened, and the

Diocese shall be governed as provided in the Canons.

d. The Bishop Ordinary may establish a Diocesan Council composed of one Clerical and one Lay member from each Parish and Community to exercise such duties and responsibilities as may be directed by the Canons.

e. The Bishop Ordinary may appoint such officers as he may deem necessary for the good government of the Diocese, which persons shall hold office at the pleasure of the Bishop Ordinary.§3. COUNCIL OF BISHOPS. Every duly consecrated Bishop of this Church, whether active or retired, in good standing, shall be a member of the Council of Bishops.

a. A Bishop consecrated as provided in the Canons shall be deemed a Bishop of the Diocese.

b. The duties and responsibilities of the Council of Bishops shall be as provided in the Canons.

§4. GENERAL AND SPECIAL SYNODS. There shall be a General Synod of the Diocese that shall be convened not less than triennially by the call of the Council of Bishops and as may be provided for by the Canons to transact such business as may be necessary for the good governance of the Diocese. A Special Synod may be called by the Bishop Ordinary as provided in the Canons.

a. The membership of a Synod, whether General or Special, shall consist of three Orders, viz.: the Council of Bishops, the active clergy of the

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Diocese in good standing, and those Laity who are duly elected or appointed to serve as delegates

by the Parishes and Communities of the Diocese.1. Each Parish and Community shall be entitled to

two Lay Delegates and one Alternate Delegate who shall have the rights and privileges of a Delegate in the absence of a duly elected or appointed Delegate.

b. A quorum of a Synod, whether General or Special, shall consist of a majority of each Order in attendance, provided that, there shall be not less than two members of each Order in

attendance, in addition to the Bishop Ordinary. Any Lay Delegate may attend by written proxy

delivered to the Bishop Ordinary not less than seven (7) days prior to the commencement of the Synod for which he or she was elected or appointed together with such instructions, if any,

as the Delegate may choose to impose upon his or her vote on any issue.

c. The agenda items that the Synod is to address shall be published to the members of the Synod with the notice of the Synod. Nothing herein shall prohibit a member of the Synod from proposing resolutions from the floor of the

Synod.d. The members of the Synod shall sit and deliberate

as one body, except as otherwise provided by this Constitution or the Canons. An affirmative vote by Orders, if required by the Canons, must be by a majority, except as otherwise provided

herein.

ARTICLE II

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§1. LITURGICAL AUTHORITY. The 1928 Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, the Form and Manner of Making, Ordaining and Consecrating Bishops, Priests and Deacons, the form of Consecration of a Church or Chapel, the Office of Institution of Ministers and Articles of Religion [specifically the Thirty-Nine Articles], as now established or hereafter amended by the authority of the Diocese, shall be in use in all Parishes and Communities of the Diocese.§2. Nothing in this Article II shall be construed to restrict the authority of the Council of Bishops of the Diocese, within the Rubrics of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer or by the Canons to allow such other formularies in conformity with the theology of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer to be used with the assent of the Bishop Ordinary at the request of the Rector of a Parish or Head of a Community desiring such allowance.

ARTICLE III

§1. BISHOPS OF THE DIOCESE. No man shall be consecrated a Bishop of the Diocese without the consent of a majority of the Council of Bishops, nor by less than three Bishops in accordance with the 1928 Book of Common Prayer, nor in violation of any of the Canons on the requirements of the ordination and consecration of a Bishop.

a. The Council of Bishops may, in accordance with the procedure provided for the election of a Bishop Ordinary, elect an Auxiliary Bishop to serve under the direction of the Bishop Ordinary with such duties, conditions, and limitations as may be provided in the Canons.

b. The Council of Bishops may, in accordance with the procedure provided for the election of a

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Bishop Ordinary, elect Bishops Suffragan to serve under the direction of the Bishop Ordinary with such duties, conditions, and limitations as

may be provided in the Canons.c. A Bishop of the Diocese shall retire from active

service when no longer able to perform their episcopal functions. A retired Bishop shall have the right to attend meetings of the Council of Bishops, but shall not be entitled to a vote

therein; provided that, in the event that the Council of Bishops shall consist of less than two

active Bishops and the Bishop Ordinary should cease to function as provided in Article I §2 c. above the seniormost retired Bishop shall

assume the duties of the Bishop Ordinary pro tempore for the purpose of government of the Diocese until the convening of a synod for the purpose of electing a new Bishop Ordinary. A retired Bishop may perform such episcopal and pastoral duties as may be assigned to him by the Bishop

Ordinary. Amended February 19, A.D. 2012 to eliminate

automatic retirement of bishops upon attaining age 70.

§2. INTERCOMMUNION AUTHORITY OF BISHOPS. Bishops of this Diocese may consecrate Bishops or ordain Priests or Deacons other Churches and Dioceses in communion with the Diocese upon due application therefrom, with the approval of two-thirds of the Council of Bishops as certified by the Bishop Ordinary in accordance with the Canons of this Diocese and the canons of the other Church or Diocese. No Bishop of another Church so consecrated shall be eligible to the office of Bishop Ordinary in the Diocese, nor perform any pastoral office in any Parish or Community of the Diocese unless requested by the Rector or Head of the Community and authorized by the Bishop

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Ordinary or unless specifically elected and received as a Bishop in the Diocese.

ARTICLE IV

§1. ORDINATION. No man shall be consecrated Bishop or ordered Priest or Deacon nor any person be installed as Head of a Community of the Diocese until there has been full compliance with the Canons of the Diocese and unless, at the time, in the presence of the consecrating or ordaining Bishops, the following declaration shall be made verbally and subscribed: "I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Diocese."

a. No man ordained by a foreign Bishop or by a Bishop not in communion with the Diocese shall be permitted to officiate as a minister of the Diocese until he shall have complied with the applicable Canons of the Diocese.

ARTICLE V

§1. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE. The Diocese shall provide in the Canons for such procedures as may be appropriate for the discipline of Bishops, Priests and Deacons to insure their compliance with the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the Diocese. §2. SENTENCE. No sentence of admonition, suspension, deposition, or degradation from the ministry of the Diocese may be pronounced by any but a Bishop of the Diocese over the seal and with the authority of the Bishop Ordinary.

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ARTICLE VI

§1. DIOCESAN PROPERTY. The Diocese shall hold title to its own property, whether real or personal, in its own name, under the laws of the civil jurisdiction in which such property may be located free from any claim of any individual person or corporation, whether civil or ecclesiastical.§2. PARISH PROPERTY. Each Parish or Community of the Diocese shall hold title to its own property, whether real or personal, in its own name, under the laws of the civil jurisdiction in which such property may be located free from any claim of any individual person or corporation, whether civil or ecclesiastical; provided that, in the event that a Rector of a Parish or Head of a Community shall cease to function as such by reason of resignation, removal as provided by the Canons of the Diocese, disability, or death, the title to such property and the right of possession shall immediately vest in the Bishop Ordinary who shall hold the said property as trustee for the Parish or Community until such time as a new Rector or Head has been installed, which shall not be more than sixty (60) days unless specifically requested to be extended by the governing body of the Parish or Community.§3. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS. No Bishop, Rector of a Parish, or Head of a Community shall, except in the official conduct of the business of the Diocese, or as required by law, or with the express permission of the person affected disclose to any person other than a member of the Parish or the Community, any personal or contact information pertaining to a member of that Parish or Community.

ARTICLE VII

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§1. AMENDMENT. This Constitution may be amended by resolution approved by the two-thirds vote of a General Synod, which approval shall then be circulated to the governing body of each Parish and Community for review prior to submission at the next succeeding General Synod for its approval by a simple majority of each Order sitting separately.§2. RATIFICATION. This Constitution shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the clergy and lay members of the Anglican Diocese of Texas in Special Synod assembled, whose signatures appear below, with the assent of the Former Presiding Bishop of the Anglican Missionary Diocese of Texas who shall thereupon assume the title and position of Bishop Ordinary of the Anglican Diocese of Texas.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF WE HAVE HEREUNTO SET OUR HANDS THIS 7th DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2008 AT FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

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