Raymond Dewey Elected to Diocesan Standing Comm.

The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona Standing Committee

Parishioner Raymond Dewey was elected to the Diocesan Standing Committee at Annual Convention in October 2012. Ray serves St. Philip’s as treasurer, as well as having been a strong leader in the Evangelism Commission for several years.

What is the Standing Committee?

The Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona establish the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee serves as the Bishop’s Council of Advice and may be summoned by the Bishop whenever the Bishop desires. The Committee may also advise the Bishop of its own motion.

The Committee is composed of six members: three Lay and three Priests elected by the attendees at the Diocesan Convention. Each year at Convention, one Lay Person and one Priest are elected to three-year terms. Committee members may be elected to serve not more than two consecutive three-year terms and the Committee shall at all times be composed of an equal number of Clergy and resident Lay communicants of the Diocese.

What does the Standing Committee do?

The Standing Committee generally meets with the Bishop on the first Thursday every other month at the Diocesan House in Phoenix.

The Standing Committee deals with:

• Interviewing, reviewing, encouraging, and approving our Diocese candidates for clerical orders (Deacons and Priests).
• Confirming that the process leading up to ordination has been fully and completely followed.
• Consents for Bishop elections in other Episcopal Dioceses
• Consents for encumbrances for church properties in our Diocese.
• Disagreements affecting the pastoral relation.
• Serving as the Ecclesiastical Authority in the absence of the Bishop.

—Raymond Dewey