Standing Committee

The Standing Committee is a 12-member elected council of advice to the bishop. In certain circumstances (see the diocesan Canons) the Standing Committee is the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese of Virginia in the absence of the Bishop. The Standing Committee is involved in a number of matters including church indebtedness and the ordination process. Four members (two clergy and two lay) are elected to three-year terms each year by the Annual Council. View Committee meeting dates.

Standing Committee for the Current Year (2011)

The Rev. Abbott Bailey	St. Andrew's, Richmond	2013
Ms. Cindi Bartol	Christ Church, Alexandria	2013	President
The Rev. Bob Malm*	Grace, Alexandria	2013
Mr. Steven C. van Voorhees*	Holy Comforter, Richmond	2013
Mr. Frank Baxter	Calvary, Front Royal	2014
Ms. Janet Peyton	St. James's, Richmond	2014
The Rev. Jackie Thomson	St. Anne's, Reston	2014
The Rev. Walter "Wes" Smedley	Holy Cross, Dunn Loring	2014	Secretary
The Hon. Jane P. Delbridge	All Saints Sharon Chapel	2015
The Rev. Lucia Lloyd	St. Stephen's, Heathsville	2015
Ms. Mareea Wilson	St. Barnabas', Annandale	2015
The Rev. Sven vanBaars	Abingdon, White Marsh	2015

* = elected to fill unexpired, one-year term.

Standing Committee and the Approval of Church Debt

Canons

There are two Virginia Canons that speak directly to the obligations of a church when considering the question of debt and the encumbering of church property: Canon 14 (Creation of Church Debt) and Canon 15 (Church Property). Please read these Canons and if you have any questions, please call the diocesan office at 1-800-DIOCESE and ask for the treasurer of the Diocese. You may also email questions to Mike Kerr.

Procedural Documents
The Standing Committee takes its canonical duties very seriously with regard to the approval of church debt. Please see the links below for all relevant information:

These documents are currently under review. Please contact Mike Kerr with questions. Check back for updated documents in the near future.

Requirements for Standing Committee Approval of Indebtedness
Indebtedness Approval Worksheet
Annual Indebtedness reporting form
Annual indebtedness reporting form instructions
Expected timeline of activity on debt requests