The Bishop and the Parishes
Leadership in the Anglican church is shared by many people according to the gifts God has given them and the ministry to which they are called. We value the diversity of people sharing in leadership, believing that we see and express the image of God more fully when people of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, and backgrounds share in ministry together. Generally our differing roles in ministry are divided into four orders of ministry: bishops, priests, deacons, and laity.
The ministry of a bishop, or episcopal leadership (derived from the Greek episcopos, "overseer") is a ministry of oversight of the ministry of the entire diocese. As part of this ministry, the bishop is the chief pastor and leader of worship in the diocese. The bishop appoints priests and deacons to minister in the parishes across the diocese, who share with lay members of parishes to serve in ministry in their local areas. Within each parish, clergy have certain responsibilities as do wardens and parish councils who share in leadership.
The bishop is assisted in their ministry of oversight by archdeacons and synod staff, who all fulfill different roles in supporting the ministry of the people of the diocese. The governing body of the Diocese is Synod, which includes elected members from every parish.
To learn more about the governance of our diocese: 