Diocesan Convention
Resolutions
2024
Preposed REsolutions
RESOLUTION 24-01
Title: Increasing the size of the Disciplinary Board
Proposed By: The Rev. Canon Gwynn Lynch, Canon to the Ordinary
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA; 619-481-
5457
Date: August 2, 2024
RESOLVED That Canon III.6.02 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego be amended to read:
6.02 Disciplinary Board. The Disciplinary Board shall consist of not fewer than seven members, and no more than thirteen members. four clerical and three lay. The majority of the Board members shall be Priests or Deacons, but by no more than one. The Disciplinary Board shall take the place of the Ecclesiastical Trial Court. The members of the Ecclesiastical Trial Court whose terms continue beyond the February 2011 Convention shall be members of the Disciplinary Board. At that Convention, one clergyperson and one lay person shall each be elected to serve a three year term, one clergyperson shall be elected to serve a two year term and one lay person shall be elected to serve a one year term. Thereafter, all members shall be elected to serve three year terms, and any member may be re-elected for multiple terms.
This amendment will take effect immediately upon its adoption, and any vacancies on the Disciplinary Board created by this amendment may be filled by an election held at the same convention that adopts the amendment.
EXPLANATION
When Title IV cases come before the Disciplinary Board, it has proven difficult to coordinate members’ schedules. Increasing the number of members will help to alleviate those difficulties.
This proposed change is in compliance with Title IV.5.1 of The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Diocese of San Diego Canon V.1.1.08.
RESOLUTION 24-02
Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-B004; Commending Safe Gun Storage
Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159
Date: October 2, 2024
RESOLVED, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolution 2024- B004 Commending Safe Gun Storage; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention commend safe gun storage practices and support lethal means safety counseling that can prevent suicides, homicides, and unintentional gun deaths and firearm injuries; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge congregations to distribute to members of their congregations and communities information and materials that promote the safe storage of all firearms; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge federal, state, and local officials to support Ethan’s Law and other legislation and policies that would create federal, state, and local incentives and requirements for safe gun storage; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention urge federal, state, and local officials to support legislation and policies that prevent children’s access to guns and impose penalties on adults who allow unsecured guns to be accessed by children; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention commend legislation and policies that offer gun owners a secure place to store firearms in times of crisis; and be it further
Resolved, That the diocese, congregations, and individual Episcopalians be encouraged to advocate for increased education and funding for safe storage practices, legislation, and policies.
Explanation
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Gun Violence Solutions reports that more than half of all U.S. gun owners store firearms unlocked.
Safely storing firearms can reduce gun injuries and deaths, especially suicides, deaths of children and youth, and unintentional shootings.
Churches can play a key role in helping gun owners to secure their firearms in a safe manner. This resolution is supported by Bishops United Against Gun Violence.
Safe storage is affordable and effective. Everytown For Gun Safety cites two studies: One study found that households that lock firearms and ammunition were associated with a 78% lower risk of self-inflicted firearm injuries and an 85% percent lower risk of unintentional firearm injuries among children and teens. The second study estimated that if households with guns switched to locking all of their guns, one-third of youth gun suicides and unintentional deaths could be prevented.
Preventing suicides through safe storage is essential to reducing gun violence. Suicides account for the majority of gun deaths in the United States, and in 2022, 26,993 people died by gun suicide - an all-time high since the Centers for Disease Control began recording data in 1968.
Safe storage is also essential to curb the rising tide of gun deaths among children and youth. The Center for Gun Violence solutions reports that guns remained the leading cause of death for children and teens in 2022, the last year for which comprehensive data is available. KFF, a leading health policy research organization, reports that of the 2,543 child and adolescent firearm deaths in 2022, 27% were due to suicides and 5% were accidental.
Safe storage can also help curb gun violence that impacts children and teens of color disproportionately. KFF reports that in 2022, the rate of firearm deaths among Black youth was substantially higher
than any other racial and ethnic group and six times higher than white youth. From 2018 to 2022, firearm death rates of Black youth doubled and rates among American Indian and Alaska Native youth were also higher than the rates of white, Asian and Hispanic youth although, during this period, firearm death rates among Hispanic youth increased by 73%.
Unsecured guns are also at risk of theft; Everytown for Gun Safety reports that each year, an estimated 200,000 to 500,000 guns are stolen. Many are funneled into the underground market, which disproportionately fuels gun violence that affects communities of color.
Safely storing firearms makes sense and is an easy and proven way to reduce gun deaths.
Resources:
University of Michigan National Center for School Safety:https://www.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh241/files/media/docume nt/safe_storage_fact_sheet.pdf
Guide to Secure Gun Storage Devices: https://everytownsupportfund.org/guide-to-secure-gun-storage- devices/
Be SMART: https://besmartforkids.org/
Ethan’s Law:
https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/01312023ethans_l awonepager.pdf
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/748/all-actions
RESOLUTION 22-03
Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-D011 Regarding The Prohibition of Assault Weapons
Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159
Date: October 2, 2024
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolutions 2024-D011 and 2015-C005 regarding The Prohibition of Assault Weapons; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention acknowledge that since the passage of 2015-C005, as a nation, we have experienced some of the worst mass killings in the world – such as the 2016 Pulse Night Club Shooting, the 2017 Las Vegas Strip Shooting, and the 2022 Uvalde School Shooting; and it be further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention strongly urge the United States Congress to ban, except for military and law enforcement agencies, the possession of all military-style assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention supports the action of the Executive Council to refer this resolution to the Office of Government Relations.
Explanation
The National Firearms Act (NFA), 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, 48 Stat. 1236 was enacted on June 26, 1934, and is currently codified and amended as I.R.C. ch. 53. And since the law is an Act of Congress in the United States that, in general, imposes an excise tax on the manufacturer, and transfer of certain firearms, and mandates the registration of those firearms. The NFA also is referred to as Title II of the federal firearms laws, with the Gun Control Act of 1968 ("GCA") as Title I; and
according to numerous news articles and various news commentaries such as one written by Jay Andersen in the AZMIRROW, an Arizona Newspaper, "AR-15 style rifles have played a prominent role in many high-profile mass shootings in this country and have come to be widely characterized as the weapon of choice for these crimes. AR-15s or similar rifles were the primary weapons used in around half of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern American history, including the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting (in Connecticut); the 2017 Sutherland Springs Church shooting (in Texas); the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting (in Florida). Many of the nation's most recent shootings in 2022 & 2023 have involved AR-15s or similar rifles; and now in Buffalo, (New York); Uvalde, (Texas);" and the Fourth of July shooting in Highland Park, Illinois; and
Assault weapons originally were designed for military use as full or semi- automatic weapons of war. As such, they were designed to fire ammunitions at three times the velocity of ordinary rifles and with such force to kill people in warfare; and
There is no rational reason to sell such weapons to the general public, especially when weighed against the increasing danger to public safety caused by the sale of each and every such weapon; and
Assault weapons are commercially manufactured and sold as semi-automatic weapons in the U.S. to persons 18 years or older based on a background check via the "National Instant Criminal Background Check System" (NICS). The background check is based on having proper identification such as a government-issued photo I.D. card, driver's license, or passport. The purchaser must also complete the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) form 4473 when purchased from a Federal Firearm Licensed (FFL) dealer; and
Sawed-off (short-barreled) shotguns, rifles, or firearm suppressors classified as Title II devices under the NFA have additional requirements when purchased or transferred. The purchase or transfer must be completed through a Class III (FFL) dealer. The applicant is required to complete ATF Form 4, provide two passport-style photos, a set of ATF fingerprint cards, and pay $200.00 for a tax stamp. The purchase or transfer cannot be completed by the (FFL) dealer until approval has been received from ATF; and
An applicant for the purchase or transfer of a Title II device through a Class III dealer must be; a United States Citizen, at least 21 years of age, meet the requirements for buying a handgun; and be a resident of the state where the firearm is purchased or transferred; and
A law requiring assault weapons to be classified as Title II devices and sold or transferred under these laws and regulations is an option that would deter undesirable applicants and slow down the process to obtain an assault weapon. Such safety requirements would establish controls to ensure this type of weapon is not readily or easily obtainable for illegal purposes, most notably, mass shootings; and
The physical and mental damage is done to victims of such shootings who, particularly in the case of children are left unrecognizable by assault-style weapons and the victims and families of shootings must bear the financial burden; and
The rapidity at which mass shootings are occurring with the use of such weapons is continuing to increase rapidly making clear that such shooting violence in our country has reached a crisis; and
The FBI has made public pronouncements indicating that our greatest threat from terrorists in our country is from domestic terrorists; and
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban in effect from 1994 to 2004 was found in multiple studies to reduce public mass shootings, gun deaths, and gun injuries; and
There are estimates that over 20 million Americans now possess these types of assault, automatic or semi-automatic weapons; and
The use of such weapons can and has given various mass shooters certain advantages over law enforcement and security officials who, after or during a shooting, try to restore the public peace and/or arrest the shooter who is in possession of an AR-15 style assault weapon.
Therefore, this 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego urges the members of the United States Congress to adopt a new ban on the purchase and ownership of all assault weapons, automatic weapons, semi-automatic weapons, or weapons that operate similarly thereto.
RESOLUTION 22-04
Title: Affirm GC Resolution 2024-D014 Declare Gun Violence a National Health Crisis
Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159
Date: October 2, 2024
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego affirm The Episcopal Church Resolution 2024- D014 Declare Gun Violence a National Health Crisis; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention hereby urge Congress and all officials at the national, state, and local levels to work to have gun violence recognized and defined as a public health epidemic and national health crisis; and be it further
Resolved, That the Diocesan Convention urge Congress and all officials at the national, state and local levels to work together, to enact legislation and promote policies that protect the rights of all Americans to live in safe environments free from gun violence, and to allocate sufficient funding for education, awareness and research; and be it further
Resolved, That the Diocesan Convention urge the reform of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) to ensure equal access to benefits without discrimination to families in communities with higher-than- average rates of homicide, and designate funding to provide community-based mental health services and supports to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence, homicide and suicide; and be it further
Resolved, That the 51st Diocesan Convention supports the action of the Executive Council to refer this resolution to the Office of Government Relations, so that it may take all actions necessary to accomplish the intentions and purposes of this resolution.
Explanation
Over 30,000 lives are claimed by gun violence annually in the United States; and
African Americans suffer disproportionately from gun violence in the United States; and
African Americans are 14 times more likely to be killed with guns than whites, and among young black men, gun violence is the leading cause of death; and
Among whites, the predominant cause of firearm-related deaths is suicide; among African Americans 80% of firearm-related death is homicide; and
2024 DIOCON Reso on Gun Violence a Health Crisis 2
Every day 93 people die from gunshot injuries, seven of whom are children, while more than 180 people are victims of nonfatal gunshot injuries every day, 40 of whom are children or teens; and
In addition to death and injury, gun violence creates a sense of a lack of safety and exposes people and communities to traumatic events, which include but are not limited to: witnessing gun violence, being fearful to go or be outside because of gun violence, fear of being near areas or activities which often escalate to violence, having had to hide due to gun violence or violent activity in the neighborhood, and/or having lost a relative or close friend to gun violence; and
The known impacts of chronic and complex trauma include low self-regulation, poor impulse control, mental health problems, cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, and substance abuse; and
Congress has blocked the passage of sensible gun legislation to protect the American public and our children by significantly curtailing the proliferation of, and access to, illegal guns in America. This includes bills that would create a requirement to report lost and stolen guns; reauthorize an assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban; close the gun-show and fire-sale loopholes; and repeal restrictions on state and local law enforcement's access to trace gun data; and
After the passage of the groundbreaking Brady Bill in 1993, the U.S. Congress has consistently cut and blocked funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an agency that supports research into the issues that contribute to homicide and gun violence. Congress has also instituted structural restrictions that prevent the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Fire Arms and Explosives (ATF) from effectively and comprehensively carrying out its role of oversight of the firearms industry; and
Public Law 109-92, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act passed in2005, prevents firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. PL 109-92 effectively prevents victims of firearms violence in the United States from successfully suing manufacturers and dealers for negligence and or contributory negligence. It closes an avenue by which victims can seek redress for suffering caused by the murders of loved ones, and
The U.S. Department of Justice's report, Vision 21, called for reform to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and identified African American boys and men, and their families, as among the victims of crime who are under-served, facing barriers to services, denial of services, and/or denial of funding, and
While America has laws that protect our children from products, activities, or situations that may cause them harm or injury, and make it illegal for them to purchase substances such as alcohol and tobacco, we have not done enough to protect children and teens from access to guns.
RESOLUTION 24-05
Title: Require Individual Congregations to Consider Declaring their Church Property as Weapon-Free Zones.
Proposed By: EDSD Gun Safety Working Group
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: Paul Conry, St. Bartholomew’s, 16275 Pomerado Road, Poway, CA; 858-487-2159
Date: October 2, 2024
Whereas, reflecting the church’s traditional role as a place of safety and sanctuary; and
Whereas, in accordance with our discipleship of Jesus Christ to protect the sacredness of every human being and to create communities that are peaceful, safe and secure — where people do not live in fear of the impact of gun violence; and
Whereas, it is time that we conscientiously address the intent of General Convention Resolution 2012-D003 that requests “every parish and every diocesan place of work to declare their establishments as Gun Free Zones”.
It is Hereby Resolved that the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego requires each congregation and parish within said diocese to consider declaring their campus, particularly their sanctuary, schools, preschools and childcare facilities, as weapon-free zones and report the result of such consideration to the Diocese.
EXPLANATION:
In keeping with our discipleship of Jesus Christ, and dedication to the sanctity of life, our places of worship should reflect Christ’s teachings, providing a space where all can worship, reflect, and gather in the presence of God without fear or concern for safety.
This resolution implements the policies of the Episcopal Church. In 2012 the Episcopal House of Deputies at the 77th General Convention passed resolution 2012-D003 that “requests every parish and every diocesan place of work to declare their establishments as Gun Free Zones.” The Resolution reaffirms the historical role of the church as a place of safety and sanctuary.
Bishop Susan Brown-Snook in her “Statement on Gun Violence” (May 2024), encouraged “the leadership in each congregation within our diocese to consider declaring itself a weapon-free zone. This declaration reinforces our dedication to nonviolence and the sanctity of life, central tenets of our calling as followers of Christ”.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on September 6, 2024 ruled that the California Legislature likely could not prohibit weapons from places of worship (Wolford v. Lopez, No. 23-16164, 2024 WL 4097462, at *24 (9th Cir. Sept. 6, 2024)). In its ruling the 9th Circuit
emphasized that churches may themselves prohibit guns in places of worship. “[N]othing in the law and nothing in this opinion prevents the owner or operator of a place of worship from prohibiting the carry of firearms as a matter of ordinary property law, consistent with the requirements of state law. The preliminary injunction means only that the State cannot ban firearms from places of worship where the owner or operator wishes to allow firearms at the place of worship.”
With the increasing number of shootings and firearm incidents in our schools and churches, it is time to address how we can best achieve the goal that congregants have the ability to worship safely and without concern that firearms are present and may cause harm.
We believe that increasing the number of guns is not a safe path to increased security. Data from United Against Gun Violence/Brady (bradyunited.org) show that Americans are 25x more likely to be shot and killed than others in high-income countries; as of 2022, the US has 121 firearms per 100 residents, making it the only country with more civilian- owned firearms than people.
In evaluating what direction your congregation will take, you may want to consider the most recent study regarding gun-free zones conducted by the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program and other scholarly organizations (The Lancet Regional Health Americas, Vol 37, September 2024). The study found that “active shootings were 62.5% less likely to occur in gun-free establishments than in gun-allowing establishments.” In a UC Davis Health News story about the study (August 30, 2024), the study’s first author, Paul Reeping, an injury epidemiologist and postdoctoral scholar at the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis, said, “Our most significant finding is that gun-free zones don’t attract active shooters. The study actually shows that gun-free zones have a preventive effect. The biggest takeaway is that the claim that gun-free zones are more dangerous is simply not true.”
You may also want to consider that campuses, churches, and government agencies, etc., who have adopted weapon-free zones, do, of course, allow exceptions to weapon-free zones for law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity.
RESOLUTION 24-06
Title: On the Formation of Community of Light as a Diocesan Institution
Proposed By: Community of Light, Inc.
Name, Address, Phone Number of Delegate: The Rev. Canon Jeff Martinhauk, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, CA 92107
Date: October 8, 2024
Whereas
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego has received a generous donation of the use of a building in Tijuana, Mexico, from Tony and Pilar Ralphs;
The building is located near the US-Mexico border in Tijuana, where thousands of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees are facing a serious humanitarian crisis;
The bishop, in collaboration with Via International; and Vida Joven, has formed a ministry called Community of Light, Inc., a US 501(c)(3), to raise funds to minister to the border crisis;
In collaboration with the Anglican Diocese of Western Mexico, Community of Light. Inc. has formed a Mexican nonprofit Association Civil, Comunidad de Luz, which will provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care, legal assistance, pastoral care, and spiritual support to women and children at the border, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, religion, or immigration status;
Community of Light is committed to the mission and vision of the Episcopal Church, and to the values of justice, compassion, dignity, and solidarity;
Community of Light has expressed its desire to become an institution of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, and to be recognized as such by the diocesan convention;
All canonical requirements for recognition as an Institution of the diocese have been
satisfied.
Therefore, be it resolved
That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego expresses its profound gratitude to Tony and Pilar Ralphs for donating the use of the building in
Tijuana;That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego commends the work of Community of Light Community of Light and Comunidad de Luz, and Celebrates their
ministry of service, hospitality, and accompaniment to the people at the border;That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego approves the request of Community of Light to become an institution of the diocese, subject to the
Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego;That the diocesan convention of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego encourages the clergy and laity of the diocese to support Community of Light and Comunidad de Luz with prayers, donations, volunteers, and partnerships.