Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina

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The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, founded in 1817, roughly corresponds to the segment of North Carolina between I-77 in the west and I-95 in the east, including the most populous area of the state. Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh, Cary, and Durham are the largest cities in the diocese. The Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina lies to the west extending into the Appalachian Mountains, and the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina lies to the east extending to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Diocese of North Carolina has no cathedral, but its offices are in downtown Raleigh. It meets in annual convention in January. Between conventions, the Diocese is administered by a Diocesan Council in conjunction with diocesan staff.

The Eleventh Bishop of North Carolina is the Right Reverend Michael Bruce Curry. As of May 1, 2007, he will be joined by the Right Reverend William O. Gregg, formerly the Bishop of Eastern Oregon, who will serve as Assistant Bishop based in Charlotte. There is one part-time Assisting Bishop, the Right Reverend Alfred C. "Chip" Marble, Jr., based in Greensboro. Retired bishops of the diocese are the Rt. Rev. Robert Estill, the Rt. Rev Huntingdon Williams (suffragan), the Rt. Rev. Robert C. Johnson, and the Rt. Rev. J. Gary Gloster (suffragan).

Congregations in the Diocese vary from conservative to liberal and from low church to high church, but the Diocese itself is generally considered moderate and is highly supportive of the Episcopal Church. Consisting of approximately 48,000 communicants[1], the Diocese is the tenth largest in the nation and has shown a 3% compound annual growth rate over the last ten years. The density of Episcopalians varies across the Diocese but is highest in Wake County, the capital county.

Principal programs of the Diocese are its campus ministry (North Carolina State University, St. Augustine's College, Saint Mary's School, Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Davidson University); and social ministry, notably the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry in Newton Grove, a joint venture with the Diocese of East Carolina. The Diocese no longer operates a camp and conference center, having sold its facility near Brown Summit, North Carolina to the State of North Carolina for use as a park. The camp and conference center had lost money for a number of years. However, the Diocese maintains an active youth program.

Other major institutions affiliated with the Diocese are Penick Village in Southern Pines, a retirement community; and Thompson Child and Family Focus in Charlotte, a youth services ministry.

[edit] Notes and References

  1. ^ As announced by Bishop Curry at the Diocese's 2007 Convention

[edit] External links

Episcopal Dioceses in Province IV

Alabama • Atlanta • Central Florida • Central Gulf Coast • East Carolina • East Tennessee • Florida • Georgia • Kentucky • Lexington • Louisiana • Mississippi • North Carolina • South Carolina • Southeast Florida • Southwest Florida • Tennessee • Upper South Carolina • West Tennessee • Western North Carolina 

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