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[ Back to Convention home page] Tips,
tricks, niceties and self-care
TIPS, TRICKS, NICETIES & SELF-CARE (top) Where to park -- Please see attachment about parking and transportation. If at all possible, plan on public transportation or joining a car pool with your delegation or that of a neighboring church. If the lay delegate can't attend -- You must coordinate with the alternate and the rector/vicar. The rector/vicar needs to fill out, sign, and send in the necessary paperwork (they should have it, or can call for it or download it from the website, or if necessary, complete it at the Convention -- it must be signed by the rector/vicar or else the priest-in-charge or senior warden if there's a vacancy). The alternate needs to know to get in line alphabetically under the actual delegate's name, and say who's being replaced and then their own name. If possible, please turn over the official mailing to the alternate delegate, but we do have extras on hand and on the website. If the delegate and alternate have to split the time, the folder must be turned back in to the registration desk for the switchover.
Be friendly in use of space -- Please sit down next to one another (rather than leaving an empty seat), in the business session and at the tables. We have plenty of seats, but it's hard to spot all the scattered single seats. At meals, please get to know new people. Too often, people save seats for others, assuming they'll be coming along B frequently they end up sitting elsewhere and other perfectly nice people are turned away and have trouble finding somewhere to sit. Please sit down -- Most people are good about returning to their seats when called to order, so many thanks to them. There will be plenty of opportunity for conversation at this Convention, so please save it for the designated times as much as possible. Voting in an expeditious manner -- Please see attachment on voting procedures and locations for the elections to diocesan offices. Please read it over so you can be prepared to help move the process along. Noise level -- The Cathedral has wonderful acoustics, but this means that quiet conversation, multiplied by just a handful of others, will create an amazingly loud roar that interferes with the business session. Feel free to go into the hospitality area to talk -- that's partly why it's there. Everyone has a right to an opinion -- In debate, please remember to speak and listen respectfully to one another. See separate sheet on discussion times at this Convention. Take care of yourself -- We realize that this is a long time to sit. It's important that you be there for the whole time, so you need to pace yourself. Try to get some rest ahead of time, wear comfortable clothes, take a stretch periodically, and remember to drink plenty of fluids -- the hospitality area will have several choices, including bottled water. Treat yourself to some snacks. Places to retreat to for a while -- Holy Spirit Chapel and War Memorial Chapel will be open for private prayer throughout the Convention. The crypt level will be open during normal business hours. Questions and Lost and Found -- If you have any questions during the Convention or have lost something, go to the registration area. Anything left behind at the close of Convention will be turned in to Security. THAT WE ALL MAY BE
ONE: There will be many times to talk to one another during this Convention. We ask that you take this opportunity to meet new people, and consciously to practice the principles of listening to and respecting one another at all times, something we don't always do well. Breaks and Mealtimes The hospitality area and the tables at dinner and lunch are a good time not just to talk to people you know, but to get to know people from other congregations. Take a moment to introduce yourself and learn at least one thing about someone else.
Small Group Discussions All attendees, including visitors and exhibitors, will participate in the small group process that occurs as part of the mission strategy portion of the agenda on Saturday morning. Your input is invaluable to us as we formulate the next stage of mission strategy. Those people with an official Convention nametag have their table number in the lower right corner. Visitors may go to the registration area to receive a table assignment. Resolutions or Speaking to Other Motions Enclosed is a booklet on parliamentary procedure. The purpose of this is to acquaint you with some of the standard procedures and rules that govern a debate B how to keep order in what would otherwise be chaos with 400 people all trying to speak. When you do speak, please always state your name and congregation (or whatever other capacity allows you to have voice) and then proceed, addressing your remarks respectfully to the chair. Remember, 400 people are never going to agree on anything, and all views are to be respected and given a chance to be voiced. Please also look over the Special Rule of Order included in this packet – it allows the principal sponsor of a resolution to be the first to speak to it. Meal reservation forms (click here to go to the meal reservation form) have been sent to all rectors, non-parochial clergy and ex officio members of the convention. The rectors will make reservations on behalf of their entire delegation and send in payment with the reservation. Lay delegates should make reservations through their rector. There will be no tickets this year, just an honor system. Visitors may go online for instructions on reserving meals. The cost will be $18 for dinner and $12 for lunch. Please be sure to request in advance if you require a vegetarian meal, otherwise we may not be able to accommodate you. We encourage you to join us for dinner and get to know one another. Providing food in the Cathedral is always a challenging experience, but we try to give you something hot to eat and allow you some time together. There is always the option to eat at local restaurants, but it is difficult to return in the time allotted. We try to accommodate as many as possible for meals and still have a few seats left over for those whose dietary needs require that they bring their own food. Preferential seating must be given to those who have ordered meals, and others may be seated as space permits. Please check in at the meal desk at the Convention if you wish to have a seat without ordering a meal. A limited number will be available. We would like to issue a reminder that the diocesan policy is that Convention is a business meeting and therefore alcohol is not an appropriate mealtime beverage.
As always, there will be coffee, tea and hot chocolate available throughout most of the Convention, with juice available on Saturday morning. On Friday afternoon, there will be cookies provided by Episcopal Senior Ministries. On Saturday morning, there will be some baked goods and fruit available. After the lunch has been served, there will be boxes at the end of the serving tables in which to place any unused wrapped food, condiments or fruit. These items will be turned over to groups that minister to those in need.
Registration Registration opens at 2:00 p.m. on Friday of Convention. Registration will take place mid-nave (see enclosed map), with clergy on the north side (left), lay on the south side (right). Non-voting clergy will have a separate station on the clergy side, and ex officio lay members will have one on the lay side. Please complete the registration card in this packet and bring it with you to registration. DO NOT MISPLACE YOUR NAMETAG OR YOUR VOTING MATERIALS OR LEAVE THEM AT HOME SATURDAY MORNING. Please keep your registration materials with you -- remember, they contain voting materials and should not be left unattended. Any left behind during Friday dinner or after the Eucharist will be removed from the seats and may be reclaimed at the registration area in the morning. Visitors may pick up visitor packets in the registration area, as well as a visitor nametag and a table assignment for Saturday morning small group discussions. Nametags Voting clergy will have orange nametags and lay delegates will have blue nametags. These nametags are required in order to vote or speak -- be aware that even the Bishop is not allowed to vote without a nametag, so you must have yours. You will find your voter ID number preceding your name (this will match the number on your packet and the number on your voter ID card). You will also find a number in the bottom right corner, which indicates your table assignment for the small group discussions on Saturday morning. Clergy and lay people who have seat and voice but no vote will have a different color nametag that will allow them to go to the microphone to speak. All visitors, including alternate delegates not being officially seated, may use a stick-on visitor nametag if they wish. This will help introduce you, but does not allow you to speak at the microphone or vote. Seating Unless we have an inordinate number of people at Convention, we generally allow visitors to sit with the delegates. If there are too many people, we will exercise the right (as we always do in episcopal elections) to designate the front nave seating for voting members and ask the visitors to move into the transepts. The only reserved seating will be done by the Convention Planners. Please do not make your own signs -- instead, take the opportunity to meet new people. In the front of your registration packet, you will find a white strip of voting cards with your ID number (also on your nametag and folder). You have enough voting materials to take you through 5 ballots. Should there be an inordinate number of ballots necessary to declare an election, we will re-register you for additional ballots. Our canons require that elections take place by written ballot. At the appropriate time, paper ballots will be passed out to you while you are in your seats. The ballots will initially consist of five colored papers stapled together. When it is time to cast a ballot, the procedure to follow is: (1) Mark whether you are clergy or lay and vote on both halves of each page (if there are two halves), leaving the pages stapled. Note that voting for too many people will void your ballot. (2) tear off the first voter ID card, labelled for Ballot #1 (or each subsequent ballot). (3) wearing your nametag, take the voter ID card and your marked ballot to your voting area, going forward along the center aisle or the north and south aisles. When you get to the transept, a marshal will guide you to the path leading to the chapels. The clergy will be voting in St. Mary's Chapel (on the left), the lay will be voting in St. John's Chapel (on the right). A marshal will check to see that you have your nametag as you enter the chapel, and help funnel you to one of the three voting stations. (4) Hand your voter ID card to the teller, who will check the number against the number on your nametag. (5) When your ID card has been verified, move on to the next teller to turn in your ballot. (6) Exit by the side entrance of the chapel. (7) Return to your seat, or go on to the meal, whichever applies. (8) If the ballot boxes have been declared closed, you may not vote, so get in line before you start talking, not after. There are handicapped ramps for the lay voting area,
but not for the clergy voting area, which has a few steps leading into
and out of it. Please notify us at registration if the voting areas will
be a problem for you, and we will arrange for a teller and a marshal to
accommodate your needs. There are other times that delegates will be voting -- on the budget, on the resolutions, etc. This is generally done with a voice vote. Not to overstate the obvious, but a reminder for those who have voice but no vote B this means to remember that even though you can use your voice in debate, you can't vote with a voice vote. Should it be unclear whether or not there has been a majority vote, there may be a call for a show of hands. Marshals will take a count and report the number. Please be aware that they will not count you if you are not wearing your nametag. CAR POOLS -- We strongly recommend using public transportation or car pools. PARKING ON THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE -- We are trying to have some parking freed up for Convention parking. Parking eases up when the schools let out mid-afternoon. HANDICAP PARKING ON THE CLOSE -- Friday Jan. 30 and Saturday Jan. 31 there will be 10 designated handicap parking spaces on North Road near the handicap ramp and Cathedral Security Office AND 8 designated spaces on South Road near the Claggett elevator at the entrance to the Museum Shop. DROP-OFFS -- Cars may enter by North Road to drop off people at the handicapped entrance, but please, do not leave your car unattended, blocking the fire lane. Exhibitors may also stop there to unload. OTHER PARKING -- Within the immediate neighborhood of the Cathedral, there is street parking for anyone with a Zone 3 sticker. Otherwise, it's a 2-hour time limit on weekdays all day until 8:30 p.m. On Wisconsin Avenue, there is some street parking, but on weekdays, there is no parking 7:00-9:30 a.m. or 4:00-6:30 p.m. On Massachusetts Avenue on the far side from the Cathedral, the first few blocks on each side of Wisconsin Avenue has unlimited parking after 9:30 a.m. Public Transportation The nearest Metro (rail) stops are Tenleytown (exit on the West side of Wisconsin) or Van Ness (on the Red Line). Rail and bus schedules can be found on Metro's website, and you can use their website to find the best way to get to the Cathedral (look under "getting around," click on "plan your trip", then just put your starting address and insert "Washington Cathedral" as the destination). The website is www.wmata.com, the phone number is (202)637-7000, TDD(202)638-3780. The bus lines that surround the Cathedral are: On Wisconsin Avenue: 30, 32, 34, 35, 36. The route follows the following course: Friendship Heights station, Wisconsin Avenue, Tenleytown-AU station, Georgetown, White House, Federal Triangle, The Mall, Capitol Hill, Hillcrest (35, 36), Naylor Road station (34, 35, 36), Southern Avenue station (32). On Massachusetts Avenue: N2, N3, N4, N6. The route follows the following course: Friendship Heights station, Tenleytown-AU station (N2), Westmoreland Circle (N3, N4, N6), Spring Valley (N3, N4, N6), American University, Ward Circle, Wesley Heights (N2, N6), Berkshire Apts. (N3, N4, N6), Embassy Road, Dupont Circle (Nw, N4, N6), Farragut North station (N2, N4, N6), Farragut West station (N2, N4, N6), Foggy Bottom-GWU station (N3), Potomac Park/State Dept. (N3), Federal Triangle station (N3). On Woodley Road: 90. The route follows the following course: Anacostia Station, 13th & Good Hope SE, 8th & L SE (Navy Yard), 8th & D SE (E. Market), 8th & H NE, Florida & N. Capitol NW, Florida & Georgia NW, U & 14th NW, Duke Ellington Bridge, Newark & Wisconsin (McLean Gardens). Taxi Service We don't endorse any particular taxi service, but the most common ones are Diamond Cab (202)387-6200, Red Top (202)328-3333, Yellow Cab (202)544-1212. To go from Maryland into DC (but not the other way around), there=s also Barwood (301)984-1900. The Cathedral has security protocols, some of which impact Convention. We want you to know what to expect so you are not caught by surprise. We also want you to relax, knowing that the Cathedral Police are taking good care of us. We ask that attendees not bring briefcases, knapsacks, bags, etc. If brought, there should be an external ID listing the owner’s name and congregation. Everything is subject to random search, and anything left unattended is subject to confiscation, and may result in the evacuation of the building B and January is usually a chilly month to be standing outside for a few hours. You will notice a presence of the Cathedral Police, who are required to be on the floor of the Cathedral whenever there is a crowd present. This is normal procedure for them, not just something for our Convention. Should the local or world situation change, we will follow whatever measures the Cathedral feels are prudent, and will post the changes on the website. Everyone’s cooperation is requested in order to have a smooth, safe Convention.
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