The Rev. Diane Higgins-Shaffer, Deacon

Home Congregation: Calvary, Seaside

Number of General Conventions attended:  Two

Legislative Committee: None

Why is General Convention important to you?   

Having had the privilege of being elected to and participating in parish and diocesan level committees and councils, I am excited to be able to participate in the work of the General Convention and the outcomes that will affect the whole Church.

What are you looking forward to the most for this year’s General Convention? 

I have loved the hustle and bustle of Convention and will miss the extras that are usually a part of the experience. This time I am looking forward to seeing the work of convention from the “floor” because as the alternate deputy it is likely that I will cover some sessions for deputies who have other duties. It will be special to see how resolutions and issues that I am currently reading about are resolved by the end of Convention.

What is one thing you want people in Oregon to know about General Convention?    

I want to be able to share the workings of the Church via the convention because I will have been in the middle of it. I hope to share how individuals can be instrumental in developing the Church.

What is something about yourself that you’d like the diocese to know? 

 At my first General Convention, following my ordination to the Diaconate by 10 days, I served as a volunteer. I was the newest “baby” deacon present and participated in serving at the daily Eucharist. I was even able to meet and get a picture with Bishop Michael Curry before he was elected Presiding Bishop. I am grateful to be able to participate in this wonderful process again as an alternate deputy in the House of Deputies.

Martin W. Loring, Sr.

Home Congregation: St. Paul’s, Salem 

Number of General Conventions attended: This will be the first!

Legislative Committee: None

Why is General Convention important to you? 

Attending a General Convention of the Episcopal Church is a bucket list item for me. As a “cradle Episcopalian”, I have been a church member all my life (75 years, so far); and have been involved with many activities at the Parish, Convocation, and Diocesan levels, but none at the Province or General Convention levels.  


What are you looking forward to the most for this year’s General Convention? 

I look forward to observing the legislative process of The Episcopal Church up close and personally.  As an Alternate Deputy, I won’t be participating in governance, but I will be there to step up if needed, and support the work of Oregon’s Deputation in any way I can. It will be a pleasure to witness the House of Deputies and House of Bishops shaping the polity of our Church. I am also excited by the prospect of sharing this experience with 800+ Episcopalians (Covid-19, not-withstanding).  


What is one thing you want people in Oregon to know about General Convention?

I like history and tradition. Through our Bishops, apostolic succession can be traced back to the time of St. Peter.  In terms of church governance, we exist in a corporate form of organization with a Constitution and Canons first given to us by the same people who gave us the U.S. Constitution in 1789 which has been approved and amended ever since by the legislative bodies that are the House of Bishop sand House of Delegates. This legacy is both a blessing and a curse, in that it was revised from a monarchic Anglican structure by white men of property to preserve and extend their privilege. that it began as the because it was excluscorporate form