On occasion, more often than not in fact, terms are used regarding "church" that perhaps, some of us are not too familiar with.  It's like going to a mechanic who opens the hood of our car and begins to tell us that the crank shaft is bent and not allowing the pistons to fire off properly.  What?  The only thing I would understand is piston, as in the name of the Detroit basketball team that, for the past few years, haven't been firing off properly themselves!   Obviously, that is not what the mechanic was trying to convey.  So, I must take some time to better understand the workings of an engine and thus, have a little better idea what is going on.  Such knowledge can only benefit me in the long run.

To this point, I'm going to provide a few titles that pertain to the Episcopal Church and to St. Nicholas that, I hope, will help clarify what it is we are talking about.  Also, it may be helpful if we learn these terms:  take the time to better acquaint ourselves with these titles and terminology of the Church.  After all, knowledge is power and the more we learn, the more powerful we become, as a person and as a people who better understands the nature of our church and can celebrate our faith with an even more informed mind.

Bishop:  The chief sacramental officer of the Episcopal Church, and the office that gives that church its name.  The Greek word for bishop is episcopos, which translated means, "overseer"; the name of the Episcopal Church thus means that it is a church with bishops.  Diocesan bishops are the chief pastors for their Dioceses, entrusted with safeguarding the teaching and faith of the Church and with special offices of ordination and confirmation.  In the Episcopal Church there are six (6) kinds of bishops:  the Presiding Bishop, diocesan bishops, bishop coadjutors, suffragan bishops, assistant bishops and retired bishops.  Our current Presiding Bishop is the Most Rev. Michael Curry and our diocesan bishop is the Rt. Rev. Jeffrey Lee.

Diocese:  A geographical area that serves as the primary unit of organization in the Episcopal Church.  Each diocese is overseen by a bishop and a legislative body--a convention, council or synod of the diocese.  We at St. Nicholas belong to the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. 

Deanery:   is a regional district of churches within a diocese.  St. Nicholas belongs to the Elgin Deanery.  Other Elgin Deanery churches are St. Simon's in Arlington Heights, St. Martin's in Des Plaines, St. Michael's in Barrington, St. Mark's in Barrington Hills, St. Hugh of Lincoln and Christ the Redeemer both in Elgin, St. Columba's in Hanover Park, and One in Christ is Prospect Heights.

Diocesan Convention:  Annual meeting of lay and clerical representatives from the parishes and missions of a diocese to elect members of the committees and deputies to General Convention, make decisions about diocesan policy, conduct other diocesan business, and, from time to time, elect a bishop for the diocese.

General Convention:  National legislative assembly of the Episcopal Church that meets every three years to set church-wide policy and budget.  Deputies to the convention sit in two legislative bodies, the House of Bishops (chaired by the Presiding Bishop) and the House of Deputies (chaired by its president).  All bishops of the church, including retired bishops, sit in the House of Bishops.  Deputies to the House of Deputies (four clergy and four lay people from each diocese) are elected at their respective diocesan convention. 

Mission Committee:  A lay committee analogous to the vestry of a parish, with oversight of a mission rather than a parish church.  It is also called the bishop's advisory committee or bishop's committee and must be appointed by the bishop or by a vote of the mission's congregation.  St. Nicholas is a mission church so we have a Bishop's Committee.  When searching for a vicar, the mission committee may recommend names to the bishop, but it must abide by the bishop's decision.  At St. Nicholas, since we are a mission church, we have a bishop's committee which meets every second Sunday of the month at 8:15am.  We vote for our bishop committee members, which happened just recently at our Annual Church Meeting.  The current Bishop's Committee Members are:  Jessica Tamaski (Senior Warden:  an elected member of the Bishop's Committee appointed for special duties, is usually the spokesperson for the group and works closely with the vicar of the church), Penny Mandziara (Junior Warden:  a member of the Bishop's Committee who is elected for special duties, is usually responsible for the maintenance and repair of the church buildings and grounds to name but a few things), Hal Stratton (Recording Secretary), Katie Black, Kristen Jacobs, Laura Lampe, Thelma Malecek, Neal Setchell and our newest members Pat Kalicki, Val Gruenwald and Claudia Boyle.

Vicar and Rector:  A vicar is the priest-in-charge at a mission church.  The vicar is appointed by and reports directly to the bishop of the diocese.  However, there are occasions where the vicar is called upon by the church community with the blessing and permission of the bishop.  A rector is the chief sacramental and liturgical (priest) leader of a parish, who is called by and accountable to the vestry. 

Mission and Parish Churches:  A mission church is a worshiping unit of the church that is financially dependent on the diocese, since a parish is by definition self-supporting.  However, St. Nicholas stopped accepting financial support four (4) years ago, a decision we came to on our own.  Since that time, the Diocese of Chicago has stopped funding all mission churches, though said mission and parish churches may apply for financial assistance in the form of either a loan or a grant for ministry or maintenance needs. 

Canons:  The word is derived from the Greek "kanon,' a "measuring rod or rule."  It has several different meanings in the Church, though we concerned with the definition that pertains to Church Law.  Canons are the written rules that provide a code of laws for the governance of the church.  The canons of the Episcopal Church are enacted by the General Convention.  Canons of the Episcopal Church may only be enacted, amended, or repealed by concurrent resolution of the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops at General Convention. 

Okay, I understand this is quite a bit to throw out at one time.  However, there is no test to be taken as to how well we have embraced and learned these terms.  I invite us all to better understand who and what our Episcopal Church is and these titles and definitions, I pray, will do just that.  
In the future, I'll supply more titles, more explanations of the nature of this wonderful thing we call The Church.  How wonderful it is to open our minds to greater understanding.  It is a good, right and holy thing to do.
 
Amen.