Article IV of the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church require that “In every Diocese, a Standing Committee shall be elected by the Convention.” The responsibilities of the Standing Committee are very broad and involve every aspect of the church. The Standing Committee functions as the “Bishop’s Council of Advice,” and in the absence of a Bishop is the ecclesiastical authority in the diocese. A bishop’s election cannot be confirmed without the consent of the majority of the Standing Committees in the Episcopal Church, nor can a Deacon or Priest be ordained without the consent of the Standing Committee. In matters of property, the consent of the Standing Committee is required before any church property can be bought or sold.

In the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, the Standing Committee comprises six members from the clergy order (two of which may be deacons) and six members from the lay order. Members are elected at the Diocesan Convention for a term of three years, although they may be elected for a further three-year term to run consecutively.