Ecclesiastical provinces and dioceses of the Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church is governed by a General Convention and consists of 99 dioceses in the United States proper, plus ten dioceses in other countries or outlying U.S. territories and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, which is similar to a diocese.

Each is led by a bishop. A diocese includes all the congregations within its borders, which usually correspond to a state or a portion of a state. Some dioceses includes portions of more than one state. For example the Diocese of Washington includes Washington, D.C. and part of Maryland.

Overview

Map of dioceses of the Episcopal Church, colored by province

  Province I
  Province II
  Province III
  Province IV
  Province V
  Province VI
  Province VII
  Province VIII
  Province IX

The naming convention for the domestic dioceses, for the most part, is after the state in which they are located or a portion of that state (for example, Northern Michigan or West Texas).

Usually (though not always), in a state where there is more than one diocese, the area where the Episcopal Church (or Church of England before the American Revolution) started in that state is the diocese that bears the name of that state. For example, the Church of England's first outpost in what is now Georgia was in Savannah, hence the Diocese of Georgia is based in Savannah.

There are, however, many dioceses named for their see city or another city in the diocese. A few are named for a river, island, valley or other geographical feature. The list below includes the see city in parentheses if different from the name of the diocese or unclear from its name.

The see city usually has a cathedral, often the oldest parish in that city, but some dioceses do not have a cathedral. The dioceses of Iowa and Minnesota each have two cathedrals. Occasionally the diocesan offices and the cathedral are in separate cities.

Provinces

The dioceses are grouped into nine provinces, the first eight of which, for the most part, correspond to regions of the U.S. Province IX is composed of dioceses in Latin America. Province II and Province VIII also include dioceses outside of the U.S.

Unlike in many churches of the Anglican Communion, in which provinces are helmed by a primate or presiding bishop from the clergy, provinces of the ECUSA are led by lay executive directors or presidents. Decisions are made at each province's Synod of the Province, consisting of a House of Bishops and House of Deputies. Lay and clergy Deputies are elected, two from each diocese.

Provinces of the ECUSA are not to be confused with provinces of the Anglican Communion, as the ECUSA itself is one such province of the Communion.

Province I (New England)

Province II (New York and New Jersey)

Province III (Middle Atlantic)

Province IV (Southeast)

Province V (Midwest)

Province VI (Northwest)

Province VII (Southwest)

Province VIII (Pacific)

Province IX (Central and South America)

Dioceses no longer in existence

The missionary dioceses of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panamá, formerly a part of Province IX then autonomous as The Anglican Church in Central America or La Iglesia Anglicana de la Region Central de America.

References

  1. ↑ Episcopal Church in Micronesia homepage
  2. ↑ The Episcopal Church Annual, 2004, Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing, p. 246
  3. ↑ "Chicago, Quincy Dioceses To Reunite on September 1". Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. Retrieved 23 November 2013.

External links