Church Deployment Office

Services for Dioceses

The Church Deployment Office: a Ministry of Transitions (CDO) works through the bishop's office and diocesan deployment/transitions officers (DDO/TO) to assist congregations and institutions in the search process. CDO provides the following services to bishops and DDOs/TOs. "DDO/TO" designates any diocesan executive in charge of deployment/transitions, although precise titles may vary (Canon for Transitions, Canon for Deployment, etc). Most services are free.

List Position with CDO
A Diocese may list an open position with CDO. This may be a clergy or lay position in a congregation, in the diocesan offices, or in a diocesan institution.

Bishop or DDO authorizes Parish/Institution Search Request Form (PDF) initiated by the Search Committee.
Once bishop or DDO enters the data online or sends the hardcopy form to CDO, the opening is published in the Positions Open Bulletin (POB).
CDO registrants can search the Positions Open Bulletin in real time online at no cost.
An electronic version (PDF) of the Positions Open Bulletin is published weekly on the CDO website.
A printed version of the Positions Open Bulletin is published monthly and mailed to subscribers for $35/year.

Create a Position Profile
After the Parish/Institution Search Request Form authorized by the Bishop and/or DDO is entered into the database, a Position Profile is created.

Search CDO Database
Data on the Position Profile can be used as criteria to search the CDO database for Personal Profiles that best match those criteria. The search can be initiated and conducted by the DDO. If DDO does not initiate the search, CDO initiates a search automatically. CDO electronically transmits the selected Personal Profiles to the bishop’s office. Upon review, the bishop submits the Profiles to the Search Committee.

The policy established by the Board for Church Deployment is to search the CDO files without regard to race, marital status, age or sex, except to further by positive action the deployment of women and minorities. To that end, the CDO will ensure that search results include representative numbers of women and minorities. For more information, check CDO Policies and Procedures.

Request Special Searches and Services
On occasion, a bishop may request statistical information from the CDO database (e.g., names of the bilingual Spanish clergy, or clergy/lay professionals who have a particular degree or certification in congregational development, etc.). CDO will conduct the special search and provide the results to the bishop. The use of information is regulated by CDO Policies and Procedures.

DDO Training, October 2008

Participate in the Art of Deployment Training
CDO conducts bi-annual training workshops in New York and around the country for duly authorized DDOs, assistant DDOs and bishops. Training sessions last approximately 3-4 days at no cost to the participant, except for travel, some meals and lodging.

DDO Training Courses

Participate in DDO Networks
There are five Regional/Provincial DDO networks that cover every diocese of the US Episcopal Church. Although not directly affiliated with CDO, these networks offer opportunities to share position openings and Personal Profiles in peer settings.
DDO Networks