ABOUT THE HNC

What is the HNC?

The HNC, or Happening National Committee, is a group of committed youth, adults, and clergy who meet regularly to plan the next NHLC, or National Happening Leadership Conference, a biennial gathering for Happening leaders from all over the nation and world.

Who is on the committee currently?

The 2014-2016 committee includes:

  • The Executive Committee: Randy Winton (Executive Director; Diocese of Florida), Jude Holcomb (Vice President/Conference Coordinator; Diocese of Florida), Jody Grant (Vice President/Secretary; Diocese of Georgia), Krisan Lamberti (Vice President/Treasurer; Diocese of Southeast Florida)
  • Youth: Claire Duncan (Diocese of Georgia), Melissa Smith (Diocese of Georgia), Susannah Wright (Diocese of West Texas), Roger Villatoro (Diocese of Southeast Florida), Davis Johnson (Diocese of Florida), Rachel Robinson (Diocese of Georgia)
  • Adults: Caitlin Kenney (Diocese of Oklahoma), Lindsey Hill (Lutheran Happening of the South), Rick Peete (Diocese of Chicago), Matthew Bowers (Diocese of Florida)
  • Clergy: Rev. Wiley Ammons (Diocese of Florida), Rev. Michael Hurst (Diocese of Dallas)

We come together from all over the country and represent both diocesan Happening programs through the Episcopal church and Lutheran Happening programs as well.

When does the committee meet?

The committee meets twice a year, one time in the winter or spring and one time in the fall. These meetings span Thursday-Sunday, including time for travel, plenty of work, and a little bit of adventure in our given venue.

The next HNC meeting will be held on Amelia Island, Florida in February of 2016. We have met in various dioceses over the years and taken trips to many places, including California, Texas, Florida, and even Hawaii.

What goes on during the committee meetings?

Each meeting is focused on tasks that pertain to the planning of NHLC. There are times to brainstorm and plan, as well as times to listen to each other while talks and workshops are prepared. Each member has certain roles during the meeting, and the youth play a very active role in every aspect. Beyond all the work, meetings are full of fun times, as well as opportunities to worship and break bread together.

What are the requirements of participants on the HNC?

Members are required to be active in their local diocesan Happening program, as well as to be diligent in attending our committee meetings. There are only four of these in total between conferences, which means that each must involve detailed and focused work; it is vital that committee members attend these meetings. We maintain a positive attitude about our roles on the committee and communicate with each other regularly, including praying for one another between meetings.

How can a Happener become a member of the HNC?

We select members for the new committee at NHLC every two years; the members selected at NHLC 2016 will be in charge of planning the 2018 conference. Applications will be available on the website and at the conference itself, at which the current HNC will prayerfully select new members to replace outgoing ones.