COMMITTEES

The Standing Committee serves as a council of advice to the bishop; approves various stages for people in the process toward ordination; considers requests from parishes to sell or encumber property; in the absence of a bishop, serves as ecclesiastical authority. Members are elected by the Diocesan Convention.

Term to Expire at 2024 Convention:
The Rev. Meredith Heffner
The Rev. Marilyn Jenkins
Jewell Little
Anton Vanterpool, II

Term to Expire at 2025 Convention:
The Rev. Dr. Maria Kane
The Rev. Jonathan Graham
Matt Klaus
Kay Pierson

The diocese elects four clergy and four lay deputies to represent the diocese at the General Convention every three years as members of the House of Deputies. They are elected at the Diocesan Convention that takes place in the year preceding the General Convention.
(Listed in order of election)

Clerical

The Rev. Glenna J. Huber, Chair
The Rev. Joan Beilstein
The Rev. Yoimel González Hernández
The Rev. Gregory C. Syler

Lay

Anton Vanterpool, II
Matt Taylor
Mary Neznek
Nathan Brown

The diocese elects four clergy and four lay alternate deputies to represent the diocese at the General Convention every three years to serve as alternate members of the House of Deputies. They are elected at the Diocesan Convention that takes place in the year preceding the General Convention. (Listed in order of election.)

Clerical

The Rev. Susan Fritz (2026)
The Rev. David Wacaster (2026)
The Rev. Dr. Sheila McJilton (2026)
The Rev. Emily Lloyd (2026)

Lay

Erika Gilmore (2026)
Cheryl Peterson (2026)
Andi Pringle (2026)
Jason Crighton (2026)

With Vote:

Chair of the Finance Committee: Stephen Gibson
President of the Episcopal Church Women: Elsie E. Kirton

Without Vote:

Historiographer: Susan Stonesifer
Lay Members of Standing Committee: (see committee list)
Lay Members of the Committee on the Constitution and Canons: (see committee list)
Lay Members of Diocesan Council: (see committee list)
Chairs of Diocesan Council and Convention Committees: (see committee list)
Lay Deputies to the General Convention: (see committee list)

Paula Singleton
Carol Tyrance-Graves

Deputies to the Provincial Synod are elected to represent the diocese at meetings of Province III. One clergy and two lay are elected at the Diocesan Convention occurring the year preceding General Convention. (Listed in order of election)

Clerical

The Rev. David Wacaster

Lay

Dr. Enid LaGesse
Gerry Perez

Mathy Downing
Elsie Kirton

The Diocesan Council is the governing board of the Diocese. Members serve a 3-year term, renewable once. Each region elects 1 clergy and 1 lay member, 2 clergy and 2 lay at-large members are elected at the annual meeting of the Convention, and the Bishop appoints 3 members. Also, the officers of Convention serve ex officio.

Click here for a list of current Diocesan Council members.

The Audit Committee’s primary duties and responsibilities are to: (1) Serve as an independent and objective party to monitor the financial reporting procedures and processes of the Diocese, financial control systems and to monitor and encourage compliance with established policies and best business practices in general; (2) Engage, review and evaluate the audit efforts of external auditors and review and evaluate Diocesan staff having responsibility for financial management; and (3) Provide and encourage open communication on financial matters among the external auditors, members of Diocesan staff , the Finance Committee of Diocesan Council and Diocesan Council. Members are appointed by the Bishop and Diocesan Council.

Charles Lundelius, Chair
Margaret Blaine
James Jones
Paula E. Singleton
Patrick J. Summers

Staff: The Rev. Canon Andrew Walter

Alternate deputies are elected to represent the diocese at meetings of Province III. They are elected at the Diocesan Convention in the year preceding the General Convention, at the same time as the deputies — one clergy and two lay. (Listed in order of election)

Clerical

The Rev. Glenna Huber
The Rev. David Wacaster
The Rev. Betsy Carmody
The Rev. Gregory C. Syler

Lay

Iman Green Syler
Michele Glidden
Nathan Brown

Anthony Coe, Chair
The Rev. Sarah Duggin
The Rev. Carol Cole Flanagan
The Rev. Gregory Syler
Lee Davis
Elizabeth Lee
David Schnorrenberg

Ex Officio: John Van de Weert, Jr., Chancellor
Ex Officio: Keith Roachford, Secretary

The Disciplinary Board carries out Title IV functions — the clerical discipline canons of The Episcopal Church. The committee has five clergy and four lay members appointed by the Bishop with the consent of the Convention. The term length is three years.

Clerical

The Rev. Carol Cole Flanagan, President (2024)
The Rev. Patricia Phaneuf Alexander (2025)
The Rev. Sari Ateek (2026)
The Rev. Louis Leon (2024)
The Rev. Sarah Odderstol (2025)

Lay

Michael Armstrong (2025)
Kemah Camara (2024)
Iona Harrison (2026)
Ian Hutson (2026)

The Finance Committee is responsible for preparing and monitoring of the annual operating budget. It makes recommendations to the Bishop and Standing Committee concerning requests for sales or encumbrances of real property of parishes and separate congregations. Appointments are made by the Bishop and Diocesan Council.

Joe Alcock (2026), Chair

Ex Officio: Jonathan Nicholas, The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde

Staff: The Rev. Canon Andrew Walter, Kelly Cooper, Kathleen Hall

The Investment Committee was established in order to provide professional supervision of the investment funds belonging to parishes, separate congregations, missions, and the Diocese which are invested in the Diocesan Investment Fund. Appointments are made by the Bishop and Diocesan Council.

Ellen Fishwick Martin, Chair
Bob Bremner
Kate Carr
Terence Collins
Jeremiah J. deMichaelis
Paul Gambal
Anthony Gould
Nicholas Haffenreffer
Wardell Townsend
Gay Truscott

Staff: The Rev. Canon Andrew Walter

This committee is mandated by both the Canons of the General Convention (Title III, Sec. 2) and by our own Diocesan Canons . This committee supervises the ministry of the baptized, both lay and ordained, and are appointed with the consent of Convention.

Clergy

The Rev. Patricia Alexander (2026)
The Rev. Shawn Evelyn (2026)
The Rev. Debbie Kirk (2026)
The Rev. Linda Mahler (2026)
The Rev. Jim Quigley (2024)

Lay

Dora Currea, Chair (2024)
Aileen Moodie (2024)
Michael Sherman (2026)

Staff: The Rev. Canon Robert Phillips

Clergy

The Rev. Peter Antoci
The Rev. Martha Jenkins
The Rev. David Wacaster

Lay

Dr. Linda Freeman
Erika Gilmore
Marion Helfrich

Ex Officio: Keith Roachford
Staff: The Rev. Canon Andrew Walter

The Congregational Growth Grants Committee was established for the purpose of
overseeing the grants program intended to fund initiatives that foster congregational
growth through collaborative models of ministry. Diocesan Council will review
applications based on recommendations from the committee. Members consist of 4 to 5
Diocesan Council members; and 2 to 3 non-council members, who are appointed by the
Bishop.

Clergy

The Rev. Linda Kaufman, Chair
The Rev. Robert Bunker
The Rev. William Stafford-Whittaker

Lay

Catherine Able-Thomas
Paul Brewster
Leza Boodie
Charles Day
Patricia Dorn

Staff: Mildred J. Reyes

This Committee was formed to respond to the challenges faced by the Diocese of Jerusalem,
focusing on education, health care and advocacy. The relationship is originally defined as
lasting 3 years. Appointed by the Bishop and Council.

Tom Johnson, Chair
The Rev. Anne Derse
The Rev. Nancy Hildebrand
Vicky Bocock
Marina Buhler-Miko
James Cobey
Steve France
Tracy Dieter
Karen Getman
Tom Getman
Dana Grubb
Peter Hildebrand
Lois Herrmann
Patty Johnson
Judy Kane
Ann Loikow
Anne Lynn
Kathryn Pharr
Amelie Porter
Grace Said
Lisa Sams
Maureen Shea
John Van Wagoner
Greg Wood
Lynn Wood

Ex Officio: The Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani

The Financial Resources Committee is appointed for an initial two-year term through Diocesan Convention in January, 2019. The Committee is charged with the design and implementation of plans to strengthen the financial capacity and ministry of congregations in the Diocese of Washington.

Kenn Allen, Co-Chair
Rosi Sweeney, Co-Chair
The Rev. Henry McQueen
The Rev. Michele Morgan
Linda Baily
Melanie Folstad
John Gardner
James Jones
Lisa Kirchenbauer
Rick McCumber
Vincent Napoleon

Ex Officio: The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
Staff: The Ven. L. Sue Von Rautenkranz

This committee was created by Bishop and Council in 2005 to examine and monitor human resource issues concerning clergy and lay employees in the Diocese of Washington, and when appropriate, recommend changes in procedures, human resources policies or insurance plans to the Diocesan Council, and where appropriate, be responsible for holding hearings around the Diocese or otherwise communicating changes in benefits or procedures. Appointments are made by the Bishop and Council.

The Rev. Maria Kane, Chair
The Rev. Tim Johnson
Paul Barkett
Paul Barkett
Mildred Millien
Rashena Thomas

Staff: Kathleen Hall

We seek to engage and transform the carceral and justice systems that impact all people in our country. We will support Episcopalians and community partners to find engaging, loving and tangible ways to uplift and impact the lives of returning citizens and break down barriers to successful reentry.

Staff: Rudy Logan

The purpose of the Race and Social Justice Committee is, in God’s name, to assist members of this diocese to live into their baptismal covenant to “respect the dignity of all persons” by breaking down barriers that keep God’s people from being who God calls them to be. The committee provides advocacy and oversight for training and education on race and social justice concerns, in our parishes, communities, the nation and the world. Appointments to the Race and Social Justice Committee are made by the Episcopal Bishop of Washington.

The Rev. David Wacaster, Co-Chair
Enid LaGesse, Co-Chair
The Rev. Dr. Gayle Fisher-Stewart
The Rev. Dr. Carol Flett
The Rev. Sarabeth Goodwin
The Rev Javier Garcia-Ocampo
The Rev. Richard Weinberg
Michelle Dibblee
Susan Laing

Staff: Rudy Logan

The purpose of the Diocesan Reparations Task Force is to investigate the financial legacy of chattel slavery in the Diocese. Our goal is to reckon with and make restitution for the value of reparations owed on that legacy.

The Rev. Peter Jarrett-Schell, Chair

Staff: Rudy Logan

The Diocesan Retreat Committee (formerly the Diocesan Retreat Association) was created in 1967 by Bishop Paul Moore for the purpose of sponsoring, organizing, coordinating or conducting retreats for members and clergy of all congregations in the Diocese of Washington. Appointments are by the Bishop and Diocesan Council.

Clifford Wooldridge, Chair
The Rev. Lesley Krauland
Marta Brenden
The Hon. Cynthia G. Efird
Arabella Littlepage
Isaiah Poole
Damien Tomkins
Jason West

The Southern Africa Committee (formerly known as the Partnership with Southern Africa Committee), was created by resolution at the 2004 Convention (following a year of study in 2003 as a task force) to coordinate the partnership between the Diocese of Washington and the Church of the Province of Southern Africa in responding to the challenges of theological education, HIV/AIDS, women’s issues, advocacy, with US government decision making entities, economic and social justice, racial reconciliation, and liturgy and music. Appointments are made by the Bishop and Diocesan Council.

P. Abbott McCartney, Chair
The Rev. Elizabeth Hague
The Hon. Cynthia G. Efird
Alicia Cordelle
Ian Glenday
Kathaleen Hempstone
Barbara Manard
Mary McCarthy
Juanita White

This fund provides scholarships to minority students residing in St. Mary’s County in support of their college expenses.

The Rev. John A. Ball
The Rev. Christopher I. Wilkins
Leonard Brown
C. Regina Bowman-Goldring
Karen Lowry
Elfreda Mathis
Zerita Shade
Janice Walthour

Staff: Mildred Reyes