The Vestry is the “local governing board of the Parish,” according to the By-Laws of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Vestry’s mission is both spiritual, working with the Clergy to discern God’s call for the Parish; and temporal, in our stewardship of church property and resources.
The Vestry applies, and is guided by, the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America; the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina; the laws of the United States Government, State of South Carolina, and Spartanburg, South Carolina; and the By-Laws of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church.
Vestry members are legal representatives and agents of the parish. In seeking to fulfill its mission, the Vestry collaborates with, and is supportive of, the Clergy. Vestry members fulfill responsibilities inherent in the mission by working with individuals and groups within the Parish, and within the broader community.