Governing Bodies

The Episcopal Church is a church led by all orders of ministry – Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Lay people. Every decision from the local congregation to the churchwide denomination is made by groups of people informed by prayer, worship and experience.

As part of The Episcopal Church, a multinational denomination composed of 106 dioceses across 22 countries or territories, the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes is subject to the wider church’s canons and processes. 

Diocesan leadership is typically composed of a Bishop, Diocesan Council, and Standing Committee with the support of several committees from the Commission on Ministry to the Finance Committee and Trustees. At this time when we have yet to call our first Bishop Diocesan, our Standing Committee serves as the ecclesiastical (that is, church) authority. Each group is made up of individuals – both clergy and lay – from across our diocese who were elected at our Diocesan Convention.

If you feel called to take on a leadership position in our diocese, talk to your clergyperson or Senior Warden and together you can discern where your gifts may fit. If you’re interested in running for an elected leadership role in the diocese, pay special attention to communication about our next Diocesan Convention.