If you are considering updating your parish’s by-laws, please be aware that the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh establish the following two requirements:
- A parish vote. Canon XV, Section 5, states, “No alterations in the Articles of Association, Charter, or By-laws, of any Parish shall be made unless approved by a majority of votes of the members of the Parish qualified to vote for members of the Vestry and who are present at a meeting called on due notice.” Typically, such votes occur at an annual parish meeting, but a special meeting may also be called for the purpose of approving by-law changes.
- Standing Committee approval. Canon XV, Section 2, states, “Neither the Articles of Association nor the Charter and By-laws of any Parish shall be changed without the consent of the Convention or of the Standing Committee.”
Additionally, it is customary for our diocesan chancellor to review proposed by-law changes in advance of the request for Standing Committee approval.
If you have questions about the process for updating parish by-laws, email the Rev. Canon Kimberly Karashin at kkarashin@episcopalpgh.org.