Episcopal Diocese of Chicago

Diocese of Chicago
Location
Ecclesiastical province	Province V
Subdivisions	11 Deaneries
Statistics
Congregations	125
Members	35,496 (2015)
Information
Rite	Episcopal
Cathedral	St. James Cathedral
Current leadership
Bishop	Jeffrey Lee
Map
Location of the Diocese of Chicago
Website
www.episcopalchicago.org

The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is the official organization of the Episcopal Church in Chicago and Northern Illinois, USA. The diocese is served by Jeffrey Lee, who serves as bishop of the diocese, and Christopher Epting, who is serving as Assistant Bishop in the diocese until his planned retirement in December, 2015. The mother church of the diocese is St. James Cathedral, which is the oldest Episcopal congregation in the city of Chicago.

The Diocese of Chicago covers twenty-two counties located in the northern third of the state of Illinois, stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan on the east, to the banks of the Mississippi River on the west. Its northern boundary is the state of Wisconsin; the southernmost city is Watseka, Illinois.

The diocese was founded in 1835 and named the Episcopal Diocese of Illinois. Philander Chase, the retired bishop of Ohio, was the first bishop. He was succeeded in 1852 by Henry John Whitehouse, a priest previously from New York. Edward McLaren, elected bishop in 1875, saw the Diocese of Illinois divided into three parts in 1877. The newly formed dioceses of Quincy and Springfield, elected their own bishops, while McClaren's diocese was renamed the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.

The Diocese of Chicago ranks among the twelve largest Episcopal dioceses in the United States, with 137 congregations, of which 36 are missions. However, in parallel with declining national memberships, the Diocese of Chicago has seen a decline in membership: 47,171 baptized members in 1994, but only 42,667 in 1996. As of 2011 the diocese website said it had 40,000 members.

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Wikipedia