St. James Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church is a democratic church with a system of government resembling that of the United States.

The BISHOP presides over Diocese and is assisted by a Standing Committee and councils of priests and lay people.

Within each PARISH, the RECTOR (priest) presides over the parish; elected by the parish, and is subject to the bishop's approval.

The VESTRY consists of parishioners elected to be the agents and legal representatives of the parish in matters of property and relations to the clergy.

LAY PEOPLE are also ministers of the Church. They take part in church services and participate in its teaching mission.

The ARCHBISOP OF CANTEBURY has a primacy of honor throughout the Anglican Communion; but, every national Church within it is self-governing.

The PRESIDING BISHOP, CHIEF PASTOR, AND PRIMATE is the chief bishop of the Episcopal Church, but not an archbishop or a pope.

ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION

The annual Diocesan Convention is presided over by the bishop. Lay delegates and clergy conduct the Church's business in the geographic area of the diocese. Diocesan conventions elect clergy and lay delegates to the National General Convention.

NATIONAL GENERAL CONVENTION

Clergy and lay delegates take part in this, the highest legislative body in the Episcopal Church. It provides guidelines for the faith, guides the whole Church in programs of Christian education, evangelism, and social action. It consists of:

• House of Bishops
• House of Deputies