Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How are parishes governed in the Episcopal Church?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
The Episcopal Church
Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
In the Episcopal Church, the governance of a local congregation depends on its financial status:
- Parishes: Self-supporting congregations are governed by a lay board known as a vestry, which manages temporal affairs, while a rector serves as the spiritual leader.1
- Missions: Congregations that are not self-supporting are directed by the bishop of the area.1
These parishes and missions are organized into a diocese, which is headed by a bishop elected by an annual convention of clergy and laity representatives from all congregations within that territory.1