The Diocesan Council “shall administer and carry out the missionary, educational, and social work of this diocese and such other work as may be committed to it by between meetings of Convention, as it may deem necessary. Further, the Diocesan Council shall receive and administer all funds raised for the purpose of diocesan mission and ministry, subject to the provisions of the constitution and canons of this diocese.” (Canon 15:1)

At the 235th Diocesan Convention in November 2025, delegates voted to change our diocesan canons to the following (in terms of how the membership of Diocesan Council is decided): 

The Diocesan Council shall be composed of these members: 

• a. The Bishop of the Diocese shall be an ex-officio member with seat, voice, and vote, and shall serve as both the president of the Diocesan Council and the executive head of all such work. The Bishop may appoint a vice-president to serve on the Diocesan Council.​
• b. In addition to the Bishop of the Diocese, any assistant bishops of the diocese, if there be such, the Canon to the Ordinary, the Treasurer of the diocese, and the regional deans of the diocese shall serve ex-officio, with no vote.
• ​c. Each deanery convocation shall elect two members per deanery, to serve as members of Diocesan Council. One of the elected members shall be a canonically resident clergy who is currently serving, other than a dean, from each deanery. The second member shall be a layperson, who is a member in good standing of a parish or mission in union with the Convention.  

Diocesan Council Members

Those serving unexpired terms at the time of the changes made at Diocesan Convention will remain on Diocesan Council until the end of their terms. Vacancies for three seats were held in January 2026 in the appropriate deaneries. The current membership is as follows:

Ex Officio Members

• The Rt. Rev. Ruth M. Woodriff-Stanley, Bishop
• Barry Ronan, Treasurer
• Bert “Skip” Utsey, Chancellor