Vestry

The word Vestry comes from the Latin word vestire, meaning to clothe, or to put on. Originally the word referred to the room where the priest would vest. In the early days the local lay leaders would gather with the priest as he vested to discuss the affairs of the parish. Later, the word came to refer to the leaders, instead of the room.

The vestry is the governing board of a local

Episcopal parish consisting of the rector,

the wardens, and lay members.

Unlike some denominations, the Episcopal Church uses a representative form of government, instead of a pure democracy. The vestry is a group (12 laypersons) elected by the individual members to make the basic decisions about the church budget, oversees the property and manages the temporal affairs of the parish.

The Vestry at Grace meets on the third Tuesday of the month in the evening. For more information contact:

Senior Warden, Dave Seifert daveandlavonne@yahoo.com or

Junior Warden, Melody Ennis ndalummelody@aol.com