The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Chicago is a council of advice for the bishop. We serve as a sounding board for any topic or issues that the bishop would like to address.
The Standing Committee is elected by representatives from every congregation in the diocese at the annual Diocesan Convention. Every Episcopal Diocese (the regional body of the Episcopal Church, under the authority of a bishop) has a Standing Committee, with responsibilities assigned by the Canons of the Episcopal Church. A majority of the Standing Committees of all dioceses have to consent when any diocese elects a new bishop. If a diocese does not have a bishop, the Standing Committee has the authority to make certain decisions for the diocese.
To be ordained as a deacon or priest in the Episcopal Church requires the approval of the Standing Committee of the Diocese, so in the Diocese of Chicago, the Standing Committee works closely with the Commission on Ministry from the time a person is nominated by their congregation until they are ordained. See the Commission on Ministry page for a full description of this process. They are also legally required to approve decisions about clergy leaving the Episcopal Church for any cause.
In the Diocese of Chicago, the members of the Standing Committee elect a President each year, who is also automatically a member of the Trustees of the Endowment during their term.
2026 Standing Committee
- Daphne Cody – President, St. Peter’s Chicago, (clergy) term ending 2028
- Bryan Cones – Secretary, Trinity, Highland Park, (clergy) term ending 2026
- Jaime Briceño – St. Michael and All Angels, Berwyn, (clergy) term ending 2027
- Judi Jordan – St. Paul and the Redeemer, (lay) ad interim until Convention 2026
- Wes Kimes – St. Michael’s, Barrington, (lay) term ending 2027
- Elsie Saldaña – Church of the Redeemer, Elgin, (lay) ad interim until Convention 2026
Meeting Schedule
Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month from 6 – 8 pm, at the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, St. James Commons (when possible) or virtually, unless otherwise noted on the diocesan calendar.
Meeting Minutes
Summaries of the Standing Committee meetings are posted to this page as they are available.
View the meeting summaries for the following meetings:
March 2026, February 2026, January 2026, December 2025 (includes 12-10-25 and 12-23-25 Special Meeting), October 2025, August 2025, June 2025, February 2025, January 2025, November 2024, October 2024, September 2024, August 2024, July 2024, June 2024, May 2024, April 16, 2024 Special Meeting, April 2024, March 2024, February 2024, January 2024
Archived meeting summaries from 2017-2023 are available here.