ORGANIZATION OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
JURISDICTION
PRESIDENT
GOVERNING BODY
EXECUTIVE BODY
NATIONAL CHURCH
Episcopal dioceses
participating in union with
General Convention
PRESIDING BISHOP
Elected by the House of
Bishops for 12-year term.
GENERAL CONVENTION
Meets triennially in 2
Houses: House of Bishops
and House of Deputies,
the latter of 8 clergy and
lay representatives from
each diocese. Purposes:
elect leaders, set policy
and budget for the mission
and ministry of the Church.
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Meets at least 3 times
yearly; composed of
bishops, priests, and lay
representatives elected by
General Convention and
Provincial Synods for 6year terms, responsible for
administering and
implementing General
Convention’s program and
policy in the triennium
following each Convention.
PROVINCE
Regional clusters of
dioceses—8 in the USA
and 1 comprised of the
dioceses in 9 Caribbean
countries. The Diocese of
Central Florida is part of
Province IV.
PROVINCE PRESIDENT
PROVINCIAL SYNOD
Meets at least once yearly
with bishops and 3
deputies who are clergy
and lay representatives
from each member
diocese. Purposes: to
respond and coordinate
the work and shared
concerns of the Church in
each region and to select
representatives to national
bodies and committees.
DIOCESE
Parishes, missions, clergy
and laity under the care of
the bishop
BISHOP
DIOCESAN
CONVENTION
Meets at least once yearly
to respond and coordinate
the shared concerns of
participating congregations
DEANERY
Regional community of
neighboring parishes and
missions
DEAN
DEANERY COUNCIL
Meets at least three times
yearly to respond and
coordinate the shared
concerns of participating
congregations
LOCAL
CONGREGATIONS
Individual s& families
drawn together in a faith
community with Episcopal
Church traditions of
worship and ministry as
part of Christ’s Body
RECTOR
(Parish)
VICAR
(Mission)
DEAN
(Cathedral)
ANNUAL MEETING
Adult communicants in
good standing
STANDING COMMITTEE
18 priests and lay persons
elected by Diocesan
Convention
WARDENS & VESTRY
(Parish)
BISHOPS’ COMMITTEE
(Mission)
CHAPTER
(Cathedral)
The Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion, which exists on all continents of the world, is a fellowship within the
One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church – of those duly constituted dioceses, provinces, or
regional churches in communion with each other and with the See of Canterbury. The
relationship between them is based on recognition of a common history, deriving from the
Church of England, a common tradition of doctrine, discipline, and worship, and a mutual
responsibility and interdependence in their missionary task. It is a freely chosen partnership,
with emphasis on the autonomy and independence of the various branches of the Church. The
Archbishop of Canterbury, honored as “First among equals” is an important symbol of unity
among 70 million Anglicans, and is frequently expected to serve as their spokesman in
international and ecumenical affairs. Other symbols of unity among Anglicans are The Book of
Common Prayer—now in many different versions and translations throughout the world – and
the Lambeth conference which brings together all diocesan bishops for mutual consultation once
a decade. English language and culture, which formerly were important bonds of unity, are now
less significant as the Anglican communion grows rapidly in Africa, Asia, and other nonEnglish-speaking regions and countries.
A diocese is an aggregation of parishes and mission congregations under the administrative and
pastoral care of a bishop. In Anglican tradition a “local Church’ in its fullness is thus not a
single congregation but the common life of all who share the leadership of the same bishop.
Provinces—There are many provinces in the Anglican Communion, each one indicating a
national church or geographical area incorporating a number of dioceses. They are usually under
the leadership of an Archbishop or a Presiding Bishop.
Provinces in the Anglican Communion
include:
Church of Burundi, Rwanda, and Zaire
Church of Uganda
Province of Central Africa
Province of Kenya
Province of Nigeria
Church of the Province of Southern Africa
The Episcopal Church of Sudan
Province of Tanzania
Province of West Africa
Province of the Indian Ocean
Iglesia Episcopal de Brasil
Iglesia Anglicana Del Cono Sur de America
Anglican Church of Canada
The Episcopal Church, USA
The Church of the Province of the West
Indies
Province of Burma
The Council of Churches of East Asia
Philippine Episcopal Church
Holy Catholic Church in Japan
The Church of England
The Scottish Episcopal Church
The Church in Wales
Church of Ireland
The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the
Middle East
Anglican Church of Australia
Province of New Zealand
Province of Melanesia
Province of Papua New Guinea