Governance of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT) includes bishops, an annual convention, a council, canonically required committees, and the Constitution & Canons of ECCT as well as those of The Episcopal Church.
The ecclesiastical authority for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (ECCT) is its diocesan bishop. In that person’s absence, authority lies with the bishop suffragan first in order of ordinations, the bishop suffragan second in ordination, and in the absence of any other bishops, authority lies with the Standing Committee, an elected committee of lay and clergy members.
The business of the Diocese is conducted at an annual convention, held in October or November. All canonically resident clergy are required to attend and each parish elects two delegates who attend. Both lay and ordained participate in deliberations and vote on resolutions including the budget.
Between sessions of the convention, a Mission Council meets to conduct the business of ECCT. (This superseded an Executive Council, which ended June 30, 2016) . Members are selected from the six geographic Regions through a process determined by the Region and include one clergy and one lay from each. In a profound structural change from the prior Executive Council, nine additional members are from Ministry Networks, elected at the annual convention starting in 2016. The Mission Council makes decisions, between conventions, for the whole of ECCT and its participation in God’s mission. Mission Council members serve staggered three-year terms.
There is a quarterly Leadership Gathering of members from the Mission Council, Commission on Ministry, board of Donations & Bequests, and Standing Committee. Held on Saturdays, members of each group meet jointly for a morning session, then after Eucharist and lunch, break into separate groups in the afternoon to conduct their specific work.
ECCT has its own Constitution and Canons that govern our common life.
Constitutions and Canons
If you have any questions regarding the Constitution and Canons or would like to have input on the ongoing work of the Commission on Faith & Order regarding the Constitution and Canons, please contact the Secretary of the Diocese.
The current Constitutions (Missionary Society and ECCT) and Canons may be found here.