Standing Committee

The Standing Committee is the only diocesan body whose existence is mandated by the Constitution of the national church.  Among other duties, when a diocese has no bishop in authority, the Standing Committee becomes the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese.  The full text of Article IV is at the bottom of this page.

We are in such a period now.  The Standing Committee publishes regular updates on their activities, which you can access here.  Please keep in your prayers the members of the Standing Committee and others leading us through this transition period.

You can email the Standing Committee at standingcom[atecr]edecr.org.

Constitution of the General Convention, Canon IV:  Of the Standing Committee

"In every Diocese a Standing Committee shall be elected by the Convention thereof, except that provision for filling vacancies between meetings of the Convention may be prescribed by the Canons of the respective Dioceses.  When there is a Bishop in charge of the Diocese, the Standing Committee shall be the Bishop’s Council of Advice. If there be no Bishop or Bishop Coadjutor or Suffragan Bishop canonically authorized to act, the Standing Committee shall be the Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese for all purposes declared by the General Convention. The rights and duties of the Standing Committee, except as provided in the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention, may be prescribed by the Canons of the respective Dioceses."

The Constitution and Canons of the General Convention are currently available at http://www.churchpublishing.org/general_convention/index.cfm?fuseaction=candc.  The Web Sexton notes, however, that the location of these documents keeps changing.  If the link does not work, try looking for it at www.episcopalchurch.org.