View source for Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut

{{Short description|Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States}}
{{Infobox diocese
|jurisdiction     = Diocese
|name             = Connecticut
|image            = Diocese of Connecticut seal.jpg
|image_size       = 100px
|province         = [[Province 1 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Province I]]
|territory        = [[Connecticut]]
|country          = [[United States]]
|denomination     = [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]]
|language         = [[English language|English]], [[Spanish language|Spanish]]
|bishop           = [[Jeffrey Mello]]
|suffragans       = [[Laura J. Ahrens]]
|cathedral        = [[Christ Church Cathedral (Hartford, Connecticut)|Christ Church Cathedral]]
|subdivisions     = 
|established      = August 3, 1785
|congregations    = 152 (2023)
|members          = 36,743 (2023)
|website          = [http://www.episcopalct.org/ www.episcopalct.org]
|map              = ECUSA Connecticut.png
|map_caption      = The Episcopal Church in Connecticut 
}}

The '''Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut''' (also known as '''The Episcopal Church in Connecticut''') is a [[diocese]] of the [[Episcopal Church in the United States of America]], encompassing the entire state of [[Connecticut]]. It is one of the [[List of original dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|nine original]] [[dioceses of the Episcopal Church]] and one of seven [[New England]] dioceses that make up [[Province 1 of The Episcopal Church in the US (and 14 overseas dioceses)|Province 1]].

==Overview==
Anglican services have been conducted in Connecticut since 1702. The diocese was established on 22 June 1785 following the [[American Revolution]], and is one of the [[List of Original Dioceses of ECUSA|nine original]] [[Dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|dioceses of the Episcopal Church]]. The inaugural diocesan bishop was the Rt. Rev. [[Samuel Seabury (bishop)|Samuel Seabury]], the first [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] bishop with a [[episcopal see|see]] outside the [[British Isles]]; he also served as [[List of presiding bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Presiding Bishop]] of the Church. 

Later bishops included the Rt. Rev. [[Walter H. Gray]], who was also the first chair of the [[Civil Rights Commission]] in Connecticut and played a leading role in two meetings of the [[Lambeth Conference]]. The Most Rev. [[Desmond Tutu]], [[Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town|Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town]], preached at the consecration of the 15th Bishop of Connecticut, the Rt. Rev. [[Ian Douglas (bishop)|Ian Douglas]], in 2010.<ref>[http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_121712_ENG_HTM.htm Episcopal Life Online] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427015836/http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_121712_ENG_HTM.htm |date=2010-04-27 }} item, April 19, 2010</ref> Douglas was assisted by the Rt. Rev. [[Laura J. Ahrens]] as suffragan, the first woman to be elected bishop in Connecticut.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_83375_ENG_HTM.htm |title=Episcopal News Service report |access-date=2007-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313212948/http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_83375_ENG_HTM.htm |archive-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Rt. Rev. [[Jeffrey Mello]] succeeded Douglas as the 16th Bishop of Connecticut in 2022.<ref>[https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2022/10/17/connecticut-consecrates-jeffrey-mello-as-diocesan-bishop/ Episcopal News Service, "Connecticut consecrates Jeffrey Mello as diocesan bishop"], 17 October 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.</ref>

The bishop's [[cathedra]] is situated at [[Christ Church Cathedral (Hartford, Connecticut)|Christ Church Cathedral]] in [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]], and the diocesan offices are located in [[Meriden, Connecticut|Meriden]]. 

As of 2021 the diocese had a membership of approximately 40,000, down from 68,000 in 2003.

==List of bishops==
{| class="wikitable" style="width: 95%;"
|-
! colspan="4" style="background-color: #7F1734; color: white;" | Bishops of Connecticut
|-
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 8%;" | From
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 8%;" | Until
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 25%;" | Incumbent
! style="background-color: #D4B1BB; width: 54%;" | Notes

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1784
| style="text-align: center;" | 1796
| '''[[Samuel Seabury (bishop)|Samuel Seabury]]'''
| Also [[List of presiding bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Presiding Bishop]] 1789–1792 and [[Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island|Bishop of Rhode Island]] 1790−1796; died in office.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1797
| style="text-align: center;" | 1813
| '''[[Abraham Jarvis]]'''
| Died in office.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1819
| style="text-align: center;" | 1865
| '''[[Thomas Church Brownell]]'''
| Also [[List of presiding bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Presiding Bishop]] 1852−1865; died in office.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1865
| style="text-align: center;" | 1899
| '''[[John Williams (bishop of Connecticut)|John Williams]]'''
| Previously [[Coadjutor bishop|coadjutor]] since 1851; also [[List of presiding bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America|Presiding Bishop]] 1887−1899; also provisional bishop of [[Anglican Church of Mexico|Mexico]]; died in office.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1899
| style="text-align: center;" | 1928
| '''[[Chauncey B. Brewster|Chauncey Bunce Brewster]]'''
| Previously coadjutor since 1897.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1928
| style="text-align: center;" | 1934
| '''[[Edward Campion Acheson]]'''
| Previously [[Suffragan bishop|suffragan]] 1915–1926 and coadjutor since 1926.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1934
| style="text-align: center;" | 1950
| '''[[Frederick G. Budlong|Frederick Grandy Budlong]]'''
| Previously coadjutor since 1931.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1951
| style="text-align: center;" | 1969
| '''[[Walter H. Gray|Walter Henry Gray]]'''
| Previously suffragan 1940–1945 and coadjutor since 1945.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1951
| style="text-align: center;" | 1957
| [[Robert McConnell Hatch]], suffragan bishop
| Later [[Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts|Bishop of Western Massachusetts]].

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1969
| style="text-align: center;" | 1970
| '''[[John H. Esquirol|John Henry Esquirol]]'''
| Previously suffragan since 1958.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1971
| style="text-align: center;" | 1977
| '''[[J. Warren Hutchens|Joseph Warren Hutchens]]'''
| Previously suffragan since 1961.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1977
| style="text-align: center;" | 1981
| '''[[Morgan Porteus]]'''
| Previously suffragan 1971–1976 and coadjutor since 1976.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1981
| style="text-align: center;" | 1993
| '''[[Arthur E. Walmsley|Arthur Edward Walmsley]]'''
| Previously coadjutor since 1979.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1981
| style="text-align: center;" | 1986
| [[Bradford Hastings|William Bradford Turner Hastings]], suffragan bishop
| 

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1993
| style="text-align: center;" | 1999
| '''[[Clarence Coleridge|Clarence Nicholas Coleridge]]'''
| Previously suffragan since 1981; later [[Assistant bishop|assisting bishop]] in [[Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania|Pennsylvania]]; first African-American bishop in Connecticut and third in the United States.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1987
| style="text-align: center;" | 1993
| [[Jeffery Rowthorn|Jeffrey William Rowthorn]], suffragan bishop
| Later bishop-in-charge in [[Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe|Europe]].

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 1999
| style="text-align: center;" | 2010
| '''[[Andrew Smith (bishop)|Andrew Donnan Smith]]'''
| Previously suffragan since 1996.

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2000
| style="text-align: center;" | 2014<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.episcopalct.org/Staff/bishop-james-e-curry/|title = Staff Directory}}</ref>
| [[James E. Curry|James Elliot Curry]], suffragan bishop
| 

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2000
| style="text-align: center;" | 2005
| [[Wilfrido Ramos-Orench]], suffragan bishop
| Later provisional bishop in [[Episcopal Diocese of Central Ecuador|Central Ecuador]].

|- valign="top" style="background-color: #F7F0F2;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2007
| style="text-align: center;" | present
| [[Laura J. Ahrens|Laura Jean Ahrens]], suffragan bishop
| 

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2010
| style="text-align: center;" | 2022
| '''[[Ian Douglas (bishop)|Ian Theodore Douglas]]'''
| 

|- valign="top" style="background-color: white;"
| style="text-align: center;" | 2022
| style="text-align: center;" | present
|'''[[Jeffrey Mello|Jeffrey William Mello]]'''
|
|}

==Churches==
{{category see also|Episcopal church buildings in Connecticut}}

The diocese is divided into six geographical areas known as regions.<ref>[https://www.episcopalct.org/regions/ Episcopal Church in Connecticut, "Regions"]. Retrieved 13 December 2022.</ref> As of 2022, the there were approximately 190 places of worship in the diocese.<ref>[https://www.episcopalct.org/our-parishes/ Episcopal Church in Connecticut, "Our Parishes"]. Retrieved 13 December 2022.</ref> 

===Northwest region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* All Saints with Christ, Oakville
* All Saints' Church, Wolcott
* [[Christ Episcopal Church (Bethlehem, Connecticut)|Christ Church, Bethlehem]]
* Christ Church, Roxbury
* Christ Church, Sharon
* Christ Church, Waterbury
* Church of the Epiphany, Southbury
* St. Andrew's Church, Kent
* St. Andrew's Church, Dale
* [[St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Washington, Connecticut)|St. Andrew's Church, Washington]]
* St. George's Church, Middlebury
* St. James's Church, Winsted
* St. John's Church, New Milford
* St. John's Church, Pine Meadow
* St. John's Church, Salisbury
* St. John's Church, Washington
* St. John's Church, Waterbury
* St. Mark's Church, Bridgewater
* St. Michael's Church, Litchfield
* St. Paul's Church, Bantam
* St. Paul's Church, Brookfield
* St. Paul's Church, Woodbury
* [[Trinity Church (Thomaston, Connecticut)|St. Peter's-Trinity Church, Thomaston]]
* Trinity Church, Lime Rock
* Trinity Church, Litchfield
* Trinity Church, Torrington
}}

===North central region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* Christ Church, Middle Haddam
* Church of the Good Shepherd, Bristol
* [[Church of the Good Shepherd and Parish House|Church of the Good Shepherd, Hartford]]
* Church of the Epiphany, Durham
* [[Emmanuel Church (Killingworth, Connecticut)|Emmanuel Church, Killingworth]]
* Grace Church, Hartford
* Grace Church, Newington
* Grace Church, Windsor
* [[Church of the Holy Trinity and Rectory (Middletown, Connecticut)|Holy Trinity Church, Middletown]]
* Old St. Andrew's Church, Bloomfield
* St. Alban's Church, Simsbury
* St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Rocky Hill
* St. Andrew's Church, Meriden
* St. Gabriel's Church, Berlin
* St. James's Church, Farmington
* St. James's Church, Higganum
* St. James's Church, West Hartford
* [[St. John's Episcopal Church (East Hartford, Connecticut)|St. John's Church, East Hartford]]
* [[St. John's Episcopal Church (West Hartford, Connecticut)|St. John's Church, West Hartford]]
* St. Luke's Church, South Glastonbury
* St. Mark's Church, New Britain
* St. Martin's Church, Hartford
* St. Monica's Church, Hartford
* St. Paul's Church, Southington
* St. Stephen's Church, Bloomfield
* Todos los Santos Church, Meriden
* Trinity Church, Collinsville
* Trinity Church, Hartford
* Trinity Church, Portland
* Trinity Church, Tariffville
* Trinity Church, Wethersfield
}}

===Northeast region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* All Saints' Church, Hartford
* Christ Church, Pomfret
* Grace Church, Stafford
* Holy Trinity Church, Enfield
* St. George's Church, Bolton
* St. James's Church, Glastonbury
* [[St. John's Episcopal Church (Warehouse Point, Connecticut)|St. John's Church, East Windsor]]
* St. John's Church, Vernon
* St. Mark's Church, Storrs
* St. Mary's Church, Manchester
* St. Paul's Church, Plainfield
* St. Paul's Church, Willimantic
* St. Paul's Church, Windham
* St. Peter's Church, Hebron
* St. Peter's Church, South Windsor
* [[Trinity Church (Brooklyn, Connecticut)|Trinity Church, Brooklyn]]
}}

===Southwest region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* Calvary-St. George's Church, Bridgeport
* Christ and Holy Trinity Church, Easton
* [[Christ Church, Greenwich]]
* Christ Church, Norwalk
* Christ Church, Reading
* Christ Church, Stratford
* [[Christ Episcopal Church and Tashua Burial Ground|Christ Church, Tashua]]
* Église de l'Épiphanie, Stamford
* Emmanuel Church, Weston
* Grace Church, Trumbull
* Iglesia Betania, Stamford
* San Lucas y San Pablo Church, Bridgeport
* [[St. Andrew's Episcopal Church (Stamford, Connecticut)|St. Andrew's Church, Stamford]]
* St. Barnabas Church, Greenwich
* St. Francis Church, Stamford
* St. James's Church, Danbury
* [[St. John's Episcopal Church (Bridgeport, Connecticut)|St. John's Church, Bridgeport]]
* [[St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church (Stamford, Connecticut)|St. John's Church, Stamford]]
* St. Luke's Church, Darien
* St. Mark's Church, Bridgeport
* St. Mark's Church, New Canaan
* St. Matthew's Church, Wilton
* St. Paul's on the Green, Norwalk
* St. Paul's Church, Darien
* St. Paul's Church, Fairfield
* St. Paul's Church, Riverside
* St. Paul's Church, Shelton
* St. Peter's on the Green, Monroe
* [[St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Milford, Connecticut)|St. Peter's, Milford]]
* St. Saviour's Church, Old Greenwich
* St. Stephen's Church, Ridgefield
* St. Thomas Church, Bethel
* St. Timothy's Church, Fairfield
* Trinity-St. Michael's Church, Fairfield
* Trinity Church, Newton
* Trinity Church, Southport
* Trinity Church, Trumbull
}}

===South central region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* Christ Church, Ansonia
* Christ Church, Bethany
* Christ Church, Guilford
* [[Christ Church (New Haven)|Christ Church, New Haven]]
* Christ Church, Oxford
* Church of Christ and the Epiphany, East Haven
* Church of Immanuel and St. James, Derby
* Church of the Good Shepherd, Orange
* Church of the Good Shepherd, Shelton
* Church of the Holy Spirit, West Haven
* Grace and St. Peter's Church, Hamilton
* St. Andrew's Church, Northford
* St. Andrew's Church, Milford
* [[St. James Episcopal Church (New London, Connecticut)|St. James's Church, New Haven]]
* St. John the Evangelist Church, Yalesville
* St. John's Church, Guilford
* St. John's Church, New Haven
* [[St. Luke's Episcopal Church (New Haven, Connecticut)|St. Luke's Church, New Haven]]
* St. Michael's Church, Naugatuck
* St. Paul and St. James's Church, New Haven
* St. Paul's Church, Wallingford
* St. Peter's Church, Cheshire
* St. Peter's Church, Oxford
* [[St. Thomas's Episcopal Church (New Haven, Connecticut)|St. Thomas Church, New Haven]]
* [[Trinity Church on the Green]], New Haven
* Trinity Church, Branford
* Trinity Church, Seymour
* Zion Church, North Branford
}}

===Southeast region===
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* All Saints' Church, Ivoryton
* Calvary Church, Stonington
* Grace Church, Old Saybrook
* Grace Church, Yantic
* Holy Advent Church, Clinton
* St. Andrew's Church, Madison
* St. Ann's Church, Old Lyme
* St. David's Church, Gales Ferry
* St. James's Church, New London
* St. James's Church, Preston
* St. John's Church, Essex
* St. John's Church, Niantic
* St. Mark's Church, Mystic
* St. Paul's Church, Westbrook
* St. Stephen's Church, East Haddam
}}

==See also==
{{Anglicanism}}
*[[List of Episcopal bishops]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.episcopalct.org Official Web site of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut]
*[http://www.cccathedral.org Christ Church Cathedral, Hartford, Connecticut]
*[http://www.episcopalchurch.org Official Web site of the Episcopal Church]
*''[http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/serial?id=jcepisdioct Journal of the Annual Convention, Diocese of Connecticut]'' at the [[Online Books Page]]

{{ECUSA Province 1}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Connecticut}}
[[Category:Episcopal Church in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Anglican dioceses established in the 18th century|Connecticut]]
[[Category:Dioceses of the Episcopal Church (United States)|Connecticut]]
[[Category:Episcopal church buildings in Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:Province 1 of the Episcopal Church (United States)]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1784]]