The Rev. Matthew Cowden Elected to Executive Council of the Episcopal Church

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The Rev. Matthew Cowden Elected to Executive Council of The Episcopal Church
July 23, 2018

With the closing of the General Convention in Austin a new governing cycle begins in the Episcopal Church.  Starting this summer, the Rev. Matthew Cowden will begin a six-year term as a member of the Executive Council, the governing body of the Episcopal Church between General Conventions. Fr. Cowden was elected at the Province V Synod held in Chicago on April 6-7, 2018.

The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church is an elected body representing the whole church. Thirty-eight members serve on Executive Council, twenty elected by the General Convention and eighteen by the nine geographically designated Provinces of the Episcopal Church. Half from each are elected every three years with a designated rotation of lay and clergy representatives.

In the three years between General Conventions, the Executive Council meets quarterly and has the duty to carry out programs and policies adopted by General Convention and to oversee the ministry and mission of the Episcopal Church. The Executive Council manages the budget of the Church, submits the budget to General Convention for the next triennium, and makes annual reports to the Church of receipts and disbursements and a statement of all trust funds and properties. They also serve as the Board of Directors of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. The Council does its work within five standing committee focuses: Local Ministry and Mission, Advocacy and Networking for Mission, World Mission, Finances for Mission, and Governance and Administration for Mission. Click on Executive Council (top) at www.generalconvention.org for more information.

Province V, the Province of the Midwest from which Fr. Cowden was elected, is an official association of Episcopal Church dioceses in the Midwest region. Province V works to advance the Church’s mission through regular consultation, mutual support, resource sharing, formation and development, and sharing in the governance of the Episcopal Church. As one of nine geographical provinces of the Episcopal Church, Province V covers most of six states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri (eastern), Ohio and Wisconsin, within which are 14 dioceses. Prior to his election to Executive Council, Fr. Cowden served from 2012 as the representative from the Diocese of Northern Indiana to the Executive Board of Province V.  See more at www.provincev.org.

While Fr. Cowden will still attend Province V meetings as its elected representative to Executive Council he will no longer be the representative to the Province V Executive Board from the Diocese of Northern Indiana. If you are interested in fulfilling that role please contact the diocesan communicator or look for a description of this ministry role in the upcoming mailings for our own diocesan convention.

Fr. Cowden is the Rector of Saint Michael and All Angels, South Bend. He has been a Deputy to the last two General Conventions (2015 & 2018), served on Standing Committee between 2010 and 2016, and currently serves on the Joint Disciplinary Board between the Diocese of Northern Indiana and Indianapolis. 

- Written by Fr. Matthew Cowden