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The Standing Committee of the Diocese of East Tennessee

The Standing Committee serves as a council of advice to the bishop. It has six members, three clergy and three lay. Each term is three years, and members can be re-elected for one successive term. One clergy and one lay member rotate off each year.

To contact the Standing Committee, please email info@dioet.org and one of the diocesan staff will connect you with the appropriate person. Please note that we are doing this in an effort to combat phishing and whaling emails.

Current members of the Standing Committee are:

Terms expire February 2026:

The Rev. April Berends
Rector, Grace Episcopal, Chattanooga

Mr. Doug Overbey
St. Andrew’s, Maryville
President of the Standing Committee

Terms expire February 2027:

The Rev. Ken Saunders, DMin
Rector, St. James, Greeneville

Ms. Abby Haase
Holy Cross, Hixson

Terms expire February 2028:

The Rev. RJ Powell
Chaplain, Tyson House Campus Ministry

Mr. Daniel Ellis
Church of the Ascension, Knoxville