Clergy Resources

The Bishop’s Visitation is an expression of the mission and ministry of the Church. It is an extension of the charge given to the bishop at ordination to “encourage and support all baptized people in their gifts and ministries, nourish them from the riches of God’s grace, pray for them without ceasing, and celebrate with them the sacraments of our redemption” (BCP, p.518).

The Visitation Guide can help each parish prepared for the bishop’s annual visit, with guidelines and protocol for confirmations, baptism, vestry meetings, hospitality, and more.

Prior to the bishop’s annual visitation, the Bishop Visitation Form and the Visitation Verification List must be completed.

For more information or assistance, please contact Sandra Beld.

• Bishop’s Visitation Form
• Visitation Guide

The 2022 Vestry Information sheet gathers all information for vestry members for 2022 as well as committee chairs. Please return this form to the diocese office by March 1, 2022.

We strive to keep our Clergy Directory and our Diocesan database current. Please fill out the below form in its entirety and submit. We do ask for family information so that our Clergy Spouse group can support your spouse as well as your children’s information so we may connect our families together. Thank you for your help!

For the 2023 Minimum Clergy Compensation Guidelines, please click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Canon Jody Howard at jhoward@edtn.org.

Supply Clergy are canonically resident or licensed to officiate clergy in the Diocese of Tennessee. They may be called upon to serve in the absence of a rector, vicar, or priest-in-charge.

If you’d like to be included on the current EDTN Supply Clergy List, please fill out our form.

The Supply Compensation Guidelines detail the recommended minimum rates for supply services.  Current suggested rates for supply are as follows:

• $125 for one Sunday service.
• $50 for each additional Sunday service ($175 for two Sunday services, $225 for three Sunday services etc.)
• $75 for a week-day service.
• In addition to the above compensation, the parish or mission is expected to pay mileage reimbursement for supply clergy, at the applicable federal rate.

Please email Diocesan Administrator Sandra Beld for a current list of supply clergy.

The Episcopal Church requires the annual filing of a report by every Parish or other Congregation of this Church. The report needs to be submitted to the Bishop of the Diocese no later than March 1, and to the national church no later than May 1.

The report (commonly known as the Parochial Report) includes statistical and financial information from each Parish or Congregation. It’s the joint duty of the Rector, or other Member of the Clergy in charge, and the lay leadership of the congregation to prepare and file the Parochial Report.

According to the Canons of The Episcopal Church, no member of the clergy shall solemnize the remarriage of any member of the Church unless there is appropriate evidence that the prior marriage has been dissolved by a judgement or decree in a civil court.

The member of the clergy must also have instructed the parties that concern must be shown for a prior spouse and any children of the prior marriage, when applicable.

The member of the clergy must consult with and obtain consent of the Bishop of the Diocese of Tennessee prior to solemnization of any marriage. Send a letter along with the Application for Consent to Remarry and a copy of the decree of dissolution of the prior marriage.

General Convention 2018 passed resolution B012 (available here at the General Convention Archives) at the which made two trial rites for marriage available for use throughout the church. As approved previously at General Convention in 2015, and consistent with other non-Prayer Book liturgies, the use of these Rites required the permission of the Diocesan Bishop. Resolution B012 carved out a distinct form of authorization for the trial rites for marriage, beginning in Advent of 2018, no longer requiring Episcopal Permission for their use.

The resolution provided a means for Diocesan Bishops who would not otherwise approve the liturgies to refrain from providing pastoral oversight of the use of the liturgies in their diocese by inviting another Bishop to provide pastoral support.

The Diocese of Tennessee is gifted with an endowment fund for clergy support for Continuing Education or Professional Development. Each clergy member may submit an application for these funds (up to $500 annually) for assistance with Continuing Education or Professional Development.

At their meeting on May 13, 2023 the Bishop and Council adopted a proposal that was, in spirit, an extension of the Diocesan Sabbatical Policy which was first adopted in 1996 and revised in 2006. In part, that policy reads:

The Diocese of Tennessee believes that periods of renewal are valuable to both clergy and congregations. The Bishop and Council wishes to establish a sabbatical policy for active, parochial clergy to encourage thoughtful times of refreshment and renewal in the belief that this will further God’s work in this Diocese.

When natural disasters occur throughout the state, country, or world, we reach out as we can and remember those neighbors in prayer. And though disaster can strike at home, often with little or no warning, there are ways to be prepared for the event, remain safe during it, and regroup in the aftermath.

The Emergency Preparedness Manual helps clergy and lay leaders develop a disaster plan. Having a plan in place can not only save property, but lives of the community, as well.

Clergy who are canonically resident in other Dioceses of the Episcopal Church who desire to officiate at services in the Diocese of Tennessee beyond the canonically allowed two month time-frame need to submit to a background check (at their cost or the cost of the church at which they plan to supply), fill out the application, and meet with the Bishop.

After submitting the application, please reach out to our Diocesan Administrator, Sandra Beld, to request a background check. Once the background check has been returned, a meeting may be scheduled with the Bishop.

For clergy renewing their license: Licenses must be renewed each year and a report submitted. Please fill out the application here (no background check or meeting with the bishp required for renewals). Your application and report can be mailed to the Diocesan office or emailed to Sandra Beld at sbeld@edtn.org.

There are a number of licensed lay ministries in the Episcopal Church. Among the most prevalent are Eucharistic Minister and Eucharistic Visitor. There is a regular licensing schedule for these two ministries with licenses being renewed on a triennial basis on the first Sunday of Advent in Year A.

• Eucharistic Ministers: A Eucharistic Minister is a lay person authorized to administer the Consecrated Elements at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic Minister should normally act under the direction of a Deacon, if any, or otherwise, the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith (Canon 4.6).Requirements for becoming a Eucharistic Minister: Those wishing to engage in the ministry of a Eucharistic Minister must be confirmed communicants in good standing, and be trained and recommended by their priest, and licensed by the Bishop for this ministry.
• Eucharistic Visitors: A Eucharistic Visitor is a lay person authorized to take the Consecrated Elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist to members of the congregation who, by reason of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the Celebration. A Eucharistic Visitor should normally act under the direction of a Deacon, if any, or otherwise, the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith (Canon 4.7).

  Requirements for becoming a Eucharistic Visitor: Those wishing to engage in the ministry of a Eucharistic Visitor must be confirmed communicants in good standing, be trained and have a background check on file, and must be recommended by the priest and be licensed by the Bishop for this ministry.
  

More detailed guidelines for Eucharistic Ministers and Eucharistic Visitors may be found here.

Other Licensed Ministries: The Canons define several other licensed ministries. Clergy wishing to recommend parishioners for licensing to these ministries should reach out to the Canon to the Ordinary for more information.

• Pastoral Leader: A Pastoral Leader is a lay person authorized to exercise pastoral or administrative responsibility in a congregation under special circumstances, as defined by the Bishop (Canon 4.3).
• Worship Leader: A Worship Leader (formerly Lay Reader) is a lay person who regularly leads public worship under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith (Canon 4.4).
• Catechist: A Catechist is a lay person authorized to prepare persons for Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, and shall function under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith (Canon 4.8). 
• Preacher: A Preacher is a lay person authorized to preach. Persons so authorized shall only preach in congregations under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith. (Canon 4.8).