Posted on 06/26/2006 12:26:36 PM PDT by sionnsar
The Episcopal crack-up begins as one of the largest and wealthiest Episcopal churches has finally had enough:
Saturday, June 24, 2006
My Dear Friends,
I am thankful for the many prayers and expressions of support that you have offered Fran and me during these past two weeks. The General Convention of the Episcopal Church, as difficult as it was, achieved clarity and showed a direction and corporate mission for ECUSA that is unmistakable. I would invite you to read the daily posts I wrote from Columbus found on our website. By God’s grace, the Convention has given your Vestry and me clarity as well.
Over the past three years many laypeople, clergy (including myself) and bishops have worked zealously to communicate the clear choice that was before the General Convention; however, the Episcopal Church has not only broken the faith and apostolic witness but appears determined to continue in that path. We cannot go with them.
Christ Church has been a mission of Jesus Christ for the last 21 years. In those years we have seen a blessing from God and an energy that continues to this day. We are very thankful for this and we also sense a deep call to be right stewards of this mission and ministry. Our commitment to this biblical faith and apostolic ministry is secure thus that we find it necessary to take bold steps to protect our mission and provide for the future of our ministry on our property.
Therefore, at a specially called session on June 23 and 24, the Vestry unanimously agreed to the following statement:
The mission of Christ Church is to make disciples and teach them to obey the commands of Christ. The direction of the leadership of the Episcopal Church is different and we regret their departure from biblical truth and the historic faith of the Anglican Communion.
As the vestry of Christ Church, we declare our intention to disassociate from ECUSA as soon as possible. We are thankful for the shepherd role of the Right Rev. James Stanton and his standing in the Anglican Communion, and we regard him as our apostolic leader.
We assure the clergy, staff and congregation of Christ Church that throughout this process we will continue to worship, teach, pray and study as we have in the past with renewed and vibrant commitment to the mission of Christ Church.
Over the next few weeks we will explore the ways that this separation will be best realized. Both the vestry and I will keep you informed and updated as needed, and you can be assured of our prayer and definite actions. We likewise would request your patience and prayers. But rest assured that our church is Anglican now… and will always be within the great historic family of the Anglican Communion.
You should know that our bishop is aware of our decision and is very supportive. As we move forward together I ask for your prayers, support and blessing on the work ahead of us.
In Christ,
The Rev. Canon David H. Roseberry, Rector
Matt Kennedy points out that Christ Church has a higher average Sunday attendance and more money than the entire Diocese of Nevada.
Certainly no suprise. I know that Christ Church was sort of looked at as the "holy rollars" in the Dallas diocese. They've been moving this direction for years.
The issues in the Episcopal Church are being driven by people whose agendas are not noticeably different from the secular leftist political agenda.
They ARE the secular left. With robes.
You think being a women and homosexuality are equivalent issues?
That would be "being a woman"
This could end up as a test case for the Dennis Cannon. Bp Stanton and his diocese may elect to give or sell them the property, however the national church could try to override that move with the Dennis Cannon.
Um. I believe the Dennis Canon turned the property over to the diocese, not the national church.
The Canon has yet to prevail in court; in fact CA courts specifically ruled against it. There is now also a good debate about whether the Canon was even properly adopted.
Hoorah for this parish. Before I swam the Bosporus, I urged my parish vestry to just declare a separation and worry later about oversight. All the vestry wanted to continue to wait. I suppose they are still waiting.
>You think being a women and homosexuality are equivalent issues?<
What is the difference as it concerns an elder or pastor?
I hopwe they will persuade more Catholic Church to adopt Anglican useage.
That's avoiding the question. One is pathological; the other not. You seem to be equating the two. Hopefully I have misunderstood you.
>>Would becoming Anglican affect that?<<
You ARE Anglican (at least for a little while longer) - you are not BECOMING Anglican. Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue, but it makes a fine point about how The Episcopal Church & Episcopalians have become so egocentric & distanced from the rest of the Anglican Communion that they don't even regard themselves as Anglican anymore. Some could say that The Episcopal Church started walking apart from the Anglican Communion 40 years ago & has, at every turn over the years, gone to great lengths to disassociate itself from Anglican doctrine, faith, & morals. When a majority of people in The Episcopal Church see themselves at Episcopalians & not Anglicans, it should really come as no surprise that they should callously pursue their own agenda, without regard for the welfare of their erstwhile brothers & sisters in the rest of the world.
>>Um. I believe the Dennis Canon turned the property over to the diocese, not the national church.<<
I have to side with Martin Tell on this one, Sionnsar. It's my understanding that the Denis Canon says that the property & assets are held by the Diocese IN TRUST for the national church. That's, essentially, the reason why none of these so-called "orthodox" ECUSA bishops have separated themselves from ECUSA. To do so, would be to invite deposition of the ordinary & to invite a cadre of lawyers to begin legal action to seize all the assets of the diocese right down to the last pew pencil in the smallest mission church. This may become achingly clear very shortly as a result of Bp. Iker asking for alternative primatial oversight. Even if another primate provides oversight, with the endorsement of Canterbury, ECUSA (PB Schori) is not obligated to accept it. I am inclined to think that the fight will be on. Harken back to statements made by Schori during GC2006 in which she said that the ECUSA (presumably under her charge) will no longer tolerate "bad behavior" from dissenting bishops. Schori is getting ready to play hardball. We will soon see what "stuff" these bishops are made of when that happens.
SuzyQue has a point. A celebate homosexual may meet the criteria for a pastor or elder (at least to the extent that any single man can), but a woman can never meet the Biblical standards.
The Dennis Canon says all diocesan property is ultimately owned by the national church. It remains to be seen whether this will hold up in court since the dioceses are individually incorporated in their respective states and are listed as the legal property owners.
Yes, it was pretty much a huge blanket statement. I can, offhand, think of a few very pretentious Episcopal churches nearby, and a whole bunch of salt-of-the-earth Catholic parishes. For a start.
>That's avoiding the question. One is pathological; the other not. You seem to be equating the two. Hopefully I have misunderstood you.<
If you go back to the origional question you will see I was equating congegations not Homosexuals and women.Both congrgations are in sin and God does not put a hiearchy on sin.
>A celebate homosexual may meet the criteria for a pastor or elder <
A homosexual is defined by his or her actions.A celibate homosexual is an oxymoron.
Someone describing themselves as a celibate homosexual would not be qualified for church office because they have by definition not repented from and renounced their sins.They are just abstaining for a season.
Okay. I have not found the Dennis Canon yet myself; but so far I believe the actions undertaken were reported to be by the bishop, not 815. If 815 was just sitting back, so be it.
No, a homosexual is defined by his or her preferences - as is a heterosexual. By your classification, all heterosexuals are potential fornicators or adulterers.
"Okay. I have not found the Dennis Canon yet myself;"
Here you go:
Sec. 3. No Vestry, Trustee, or other Body, authorized by Civil or Canon
law to hold, manage, or administer real property for any Parish, Mission,
Congregation, or Institution, shall encumber or alienate the same or any
part thereof without the written consent of the Bishop and Standing
Committee of the Diocese of which the Parish, Mission, Congregation, or
Institution is a part, except under such regulations as may be prescribed by
Canon of the Diocese.
Sec. 4. All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish,
Mission or Congregation is held in trust for this Church and the Diocese
thereof in which such Parish, Mission or Congregation is located. The
existence of this trust, however, shall in no way limit the power and authority
of the Parish, Mission or Congregation otherwise existing over such property
so long as the particular Parish, Mission or Congregation remains a part of,
and subject to, this Church and its Constitution and Canons.
Sec. 5. The several Dioceses may, at their election, further confirm the trust
declared under the foregoing Section 4 by appropriate action, but no such
action shall be necessary for the existence and validity of the trust.
Title 1, Canon 7. PDF here: http://www.churchpublishing.org/general_convention/pdf_const_2003/Title_I_OrgAdmin.pdf
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