St. Philip Episcopal Church

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What is the Vestry?

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The Vestry is a group of elected congregational leaders within the congregation of an Episcopal church. Its basic responsibility is to:

• Help define and articulate the mission of the congregation;

• Support the mission by word and deed;

• Elect a rector when the need arises;

• Ensure effective organization and planning;

• Ensure adequate resources in leadership and in financial stewardship;

• Manage resources effectively;

• Determine that appropriate programs, policies, and procedures have been developed and are followed;

• Assess its own performance.

It has some similarities to a board of directors, but it is important to remember that this ministry of leadership is exercised within a church. The success of a congregation is not measured in terms of numbers of members or size of the endowment, but rather in the degree to which it is working toward fulfillment of the mission of the Church.

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