Diocesan Council

Diocesan Council is an elected body which conducts the affairs of the diocese between conventions. Duties of the Diocesan Council, outlined in Canon 15, are:

(a) Assist the Bishop and Bishop Coadjutor, if there be one, in planning and developing the work of the Church in the Diocese.

(b) Assist the Bishop and Bishop Coadjutor, if there be one, in administering the work of the Church in the Diocese through whatever departments, divisions, commissions, or other agencies may be established from time to time for that purpose.

(c) Supervise, coordinate, and review the work of all departments, agencies, and diocesan officers charged with holding title to property; be responsible for maintaining such property; and be responsible for designating qualifying church buildings as "Historic Churches."

(d) Direct, coordinate, and administer the financial affairs of the Diocese not vested by canon in other officers or agencies.

(e) Directly or through agents under its direction and control, fix all compensation except that fixed by the Convention.

(f) Supervise and coordinate all departments, agencies, and diocesan officers charged with record-keeping, maintenance of archives, and preserving and writing the history of the Diocese, its departments, agencies, and congregations.

(g) As deemed desirable, adopt by-laws, rules, and regulations for its government and for the government of its officials, agents, employees, departments, and agencies.

(h) Make and preserve a full record of its acts and of the work of each of its departments and furnish to each annual Convention a full report of all its actions and all moneys expended under its direction during the preceding year, including a report from each department of the Council with respect to the work done by such department.

The council is comprised of six members of clergy eligible to vote in the Convention and nine members of the laity (who are enrolled confirmed adult communicants in good standing of the Church in the Diocese) who are elected for terms of three years, staggered so that one-third of the 15 are elected each year.

Watch members of Standing Committee and Diocesan Council discuss their work

Actions of Diocesan Council since the 207th Annual Convention

• Met at Diocesan House; St Francis Springs Retreat Center, Stoneville; Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry, Newton Grove; and on Zoom.
• Held a joint planning retreat with the Standing Committee.
• Endorsed a pilot program for mental health first aid training.
• Received community input about the future of the former St Mark's, Raleigh property. Meanwhile, the property is being used by community organizations.
• Designated Ascension, Advance; St. Cyprian's, Oxford; St. Stephen's, Oxford; and St. Luke's, Salisbury as Living Historic Churches.
• Designated every church in the Diocese not already designated as a Preserved Historic Church or a Living Historic Church that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and meets the applicable criteria in Canon D-III.9, Section 2, as a Living Historic Church.
• Authorized sale of Diocesan House.
• Asked the bishop to appoint a committee to recommend uses of net proceeds from selling Diocesan House.
• Extended the lease of the former Epiphany, Rocky Mount property to In His Way Ministry.
• Held a real estate planning seminar with Foundry Commercial.
• Decided that churches with more than $500,000 in Line D parochial report income shall have the certified or independent public accountants who review or perform their audits complete an electronic form designed by the chief financial officer of the Diocese to collect significant financial information not included on the parochial report, such as the outstanding debt of each church.
• Allocated part of the proceeds from selling the former St Christopher's, Garner, property to emergent needs in the Diocese.
• Authorized expenditure to retain a consultant to assist the Diocese with a review of its hiring practices.
• Determined that local committees for Preserved Historic Churches are responsible for fully insuring their properties and that if they are unable to do so, the designation of Preserved Historic Church may be revoked.
• Set housing allowances for clergy employed by the Diocese.
• Waived registration fees for the 208th Annual Convention for parochial clergy and lay delegates of churches that receive money from the Sustainability Fund in 2023.
• Designated times for convocation meetings prior to the 208th Annual Convention.
• Amended the bylaws of Diocesan Council to reflect changes in titles of diocesan staff.