The origins of
the formation of the Episcopal Diocese of Springfield began in March 1835, when
the Diocese of Illinois was formed with the Right Reverend Philander Chase, the
retired Bishop of Ohio chosen as the first Bishop. At that time the Episcopal
Diocese of Illinois was the entire State of Illinois.
At the
Convention of 1876, preparations were put in place to divide the State into
three dioceses. In 1877, the original diocese of Illinois was divided into three
geographical areas: the northern area (the Diocese of Chicago), the western area
(the Diocese of Quincy) and the central and southern areas being the Diocese of
Springfield. The first bishop of Springfield was the Right Reverend George
Franklin Seymour who at the time of his election was Dean of General Theological
Seminary, New York. The diocese is geographically the largest of the three
dioceses in Illinois, comprising sixty (60) counties. It is bound on the east
by the Indiana border, on the west by the Illinois River and Missouri border, on
the north by Interstate 74 and in the southeast by the Kentucky border. It is
called the Diocese of the Four Rivers in which the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio
and Wabash rivers all pass through the diocese.
The Diocesan
Center where the central affairs of the Diocese are housed is located
immediately adjacent to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Springfield, the
capital of the State of Illinois. The Right Reverend Albert Arthur Chambers, the
7th Bishop of Springfield, dedicated it on December 16, 1966. The Center, which
is circular in design, holds the offices of the Bishop, Archdeacon and the other
administrative staff.
The oldest
parish in the Diocese is Trinity Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, founded in
1832. St. Paul's, Springfield, was founded by Bishop Chase in 1835, and although
was referred to as the pro-cathedral of the Diocese for many years, it was not
officially designated as the Episcopal Cathedral of the Diocese until 1948.
The Right
Reverend Peter Hess Beckwith has spiritual oversight of the 40 congregations in
the Diocese. He was elected the tenth bishop of Springfield on September 14,
1991 and consecrated on February 29, 1992. The Bishop is the Ecclesiastical
Authority in the Diocese. He is assisted by the Archdeacon, the Diocesan
Administrator, and other staff. The Division of Administration and Finance, and
the Division of Mission and Worship are divided into several departments
representing the format for administration and ministry.
THE
DIOCESAN SYNOD (Convention)
The legislative
body of the diocese is called the Diocesan Synod. It meets annually during the
month of October and is presided over by the Bishop who is President of the
Synod. The Synod is comprised of all members of the clergy who are canonically
resident in the diocese and lay delegates elected by the parishes or nominated
by the missions and appointed by the Bishop. Each year the Diocesan Synod elects
officers, receives reports from the various diocesan departments, commissions,
committees, and organizations, debates and votes on resolutions and legislation
and adopts the budget for the coming year. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated at
each session of Synod.
Our commitment
to social concerns and community service is expressed through the work of the
various diocesan commissions on anti-racism, economic justice, chemical
dependency and ministry among older adults. The diocese is involved with the
East St. Louis Metro Hope Project contributing both financially and physically
through the efforts of our people, including the youth.
CLERGY
There
are 3 bishops and 79 clergy who are canonically resident in the diocese. This
means that they serve under the ecclesiastical authority of the diocese although
some may not be physically residing in the diocese.
The clergy who
are actively serving include 1 bishop, 28 (resident) priests, 10 (licensed)
priests or deacons and 15 deacons reporting. There are three (3) female priests
and four (4) female deacons.
CONGREGATIONS
The
diocese is comprised of 6 geographical areas called Deaneries, each headed by a
Dean. There are 40 congregations of which 20 are parishes (self-supporting
churches) and the other 20 are non self-supporting (missions). There are
currently congregations in Albion, Alton, Belleville, Bloomington, Cairo,
Carbondale, Carlinville, Caseyville, Centralia, Champaign, Chesterfield,
Danville, Decatur, Edwardsville, Effingham, Glen Carbon, Granite City,
Harrisburg, Havana, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Marion, Mattoon, McCleansboro,
Morton, Mt. Carmel, Mt. Vernon, Normal, O'Fallon, Olney, Paris, Pekin, Rantoul,
Robinson, Salem, Springfield, and West Frankfort. The diocese has recently hired
a Church Missioner to begin a church in the Columbia area.
