Consititution

The Constitution of the Diocese of Albany

ARTICLE I
There shall be a Convention of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Albany each year. The Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee, or, in case of a vacancy in the Episcopate, the Standing Committee, shall appoint the place and time. The presence of 30 of the Clergy entitled to vote and Deputies representing 25 Churches shall constitute a quorum which shall be necessary for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE II
The Bishop shall have power to call special meetings of the Convention; and he shall do so when applied to for that purpose by the Standing Committee; and in case of a vacancy in the Episcopate, the Standing Committee shall have power to call a special meeting of the Convention. Twenty days’ notice shall be given to its members of any special meeting. Such notice shall contain a statement of the purpose or purposes for which it is called and only such matters may be considered at such meeting except by unanimous consent of the members present.

ARTICLE III
The Convention shall consist of the Bishop; of the Bishop Coadjutor and the Suffragan Bishops, if there be such; of the Clergy canonically resident in the Diocese; of the Chancellor of the Diocese; of the Assistant Chancellors of the Diocese, if there be any, and of Lay Deputies, consisting of not more than three Deputies from each Church in union with the Convention who shall be communicants, and shall have been duly chosen, and shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Convention. Alternate Deputies may be elected by said Churches. Any vacancy in Lay Deputations shall be supplied from its alternates who shall have all power and authority, while so serving, of the Deputy whose place he shall take. The Convention shall be the final judge of the qualifications of its members.

ARTICLE IV
The Cathedral of All Saints in the City and Diocese of Albany shall be the Cathedral Church of the Diocese, and its congregation shall have such rights and responsibilities as pertain to a Church in union with the Convention.

ARTICLE V

1. The presiding officer of each session of all meetings of the Convention shall be the Bishop who shall be the President of the Convention; or, in his absence, the Bishop Coadjutor, if there be such, who shall be President pro temporeor, in the absence of the Bishop and the Coadjutor, a Suffragan Bishop, if there be such, who shall be President pro tempore; or, in the absence of the Bishop, the Bishop Coadjutor, and any Bishop Suffragan, a member of the Convention elected President pro tempore by the Convention at such session, provided, however, that the President of the Convention or any President pro tempore may temporarily, during any session, delegate the duties of presiding officer to any other member of the Convention.
2. A Secretary of the Diocese and a Treasurer of the Diocese shall be elected at the Annual Convention who shall perform the usual duties of such several offices and shall remain in office until a successor is elected.
3. The Convention may elect such other officers as it shall determine.
4. If the office of Secretary or Treasurer becomes vacant between annual meetings of the Convention, the Bishop, by and with the consent of the Standing Committee, shall fill every such vacancy.

ARTICLE VI
The Clergy and the Laity constituting the Convention shall deliberate in one body, and each Cleric shall have one vote, and each Deputy one vote, and a plurality of the aggregate votes shall be decisive except when a vote by orders is taken. Five members may call for a vote by orders, each Cleric shall have one vote in the Clerical Order and each Church in union with the Convention one vote in the Lay Order. The concurrence of a majority of each order shall be necessary to make a decision in a vote by orders.

ARTICLE VII
The Standing Committee of the Diocese shall consist of six Clerical and six Lay Members, to be elected by a vote by orders. At each annual meeting of the Convention, two Clerical and two Lay Members shall be elected to serve for three years, and until the election of their successors and may be elected to succeed themselves for one term. Vacancies shall be filled temporarily by the concurrent vote of the Clerical and Lay members of the Committee until the next annual meeting of the Convention, and then shall be filled by such meeting.

ARTICLE VIII
In case of an election to fill a vacancy in the Episcopate of the Diocese, or, if a Bishop Coadjutor or a Suffragan Bishop is to be elected, such election shall be at the annual or a special meeting of the Convention. Any such election shall be by a vote by orders.

ARTICLE IX
The Convention may adopt Canons and Rules of Order consistent with this Constitution or the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention.

ARTICLE X
Proposals for amendment of this Constitution shall be introduced in writing and considered at an annual meeting of the Convention, and if approved by a majority vote, they shall lie over until the next annual meeting of the Convention, and if then approved by a vote by orders, this Constitution shall be amended accordingly.