From Fr. Jake, who is watching the San Joaquin diocesan convention via video stream:
As of 2:42 pm EST on December 8, 2007, the bishop and clergy of the diocese of San Joaquin are no longer members of the Episcopal Church.
Pray for wisdom in the response of Presiding Bishop Katharine and the leadership in TEC. Pray that they move quickly to care for the faithful remnant of the flock in San Joaquin.
Pray for those who depart to the Southern Cone.
Lord, have mercy.
UPDATE: I love that the courageous priests who remained faithful numbered twelve. May God bless them and keep them. May God bless and keep the faithful remnant amongst the laity. May God's peace that passes understanding keep their minds and hearts in Christ Jesus.
It all involves present pain, but it is nothing compared to the decimation of Christianity in the Dark Ages. Dioceses didn't cede - they were put to the sword. Only the monks in divers places kept the faith in Europe. I am a little philosophical about all this: I quote from a most unlikely source:
ReplyDeleteMr. Spock : History is replete with turning points lieutenant, we must have faith.
Lt. Valeris : Faith?
Mr. Spock : That the universe will unfold as it should.
Lt. Valeris : But is that logical, surely we must ....
Mr. Spock : Logic, logic, logic. Logic is the beginning of wisdom Valeris – not the end.
Yet some Dioceses choose to fall on their own sword...
RR, excellent, truly excellent. The gospel according to Star Trek.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling strangely relieved. Of course, I'm not in the Diocese of San Joaquin. I pray that the faithful there remain in hope.
Mon cher, after your supportive post, the respose can, and must be:
ReplyDelete"Live long and prosper."
Strange. I am not a Trekkie (I believe that "Trekker" is now the socially acceptable noun) but on occasion the screenplay writers do hit certain buttons of wisdom that those of us within our own particular cultus can receive, smile, and say ..."Why, yes, of course!"
I, too, feel relieved at such a decision. Time will tell. Deo volente.
Forgive my grammer, Grandmere - ma cher!
ReplyDeleteRR, you are too kind, but I'll take the good wishes.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad about the mistake. I butcher the French and Spanish languages all around the blogosphere.
In the case of the greeting, may I suggest ma chère for a lady?
Amen, Grandmere. Amen.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kirstin.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand all the politics of this, but my prayers are with them.
ReplyDeleteNice Star Trek Exchange!
Anytime, Grandmere. You could say I have family there.
ReplyDeleteDiane, they voted to leave the Episcopal Church, and they plan to have the buildings, but the buildings are held in trust, for present and future members, by the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, which they are no longer part of. The bishop, priests, and lay people who voted to be out of the Episcopal Church don't own the buildings.
ReplyDeleteI presume that there will be litigation, which is so very sad. You can leave the church at any time, but you cannot take the property. TEC is not a congregational church. That's it, in a few words, from a non-expert layperson.
Thanks, Grandmere, on behalf of the faithful Episcopalians in San Joaquin.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long and emotionally draining day. First convention, then meeting with the Faithful Remnant, then altar guild!!
I'm going to bed.
Aghaveagh, you and your fellow faithful Episcopalians hang in there. We'll keep praying.
ReplyDeleteBlessings.
How sad for the faithful few. How opportunistic of the secessionists to assume they can take it with them! The outcome of any litigation will be very important as a precedent will be set for others of the same mind. Many will be watching and weighing up their options.
ReplyDeleteDP, we may see that the faithful few are more in number than we thought. I hope so.
ReplyDeleteMimi, actually I don't think it is strage to feel a sense of relief that some of the schismatics have finally put their money where their mouths are. They do get exceedingly boring with year after year of their little boy crying wolf routine.
ReplyDeleteMike, yes. I want to say, "Go, already!" My heart goes out to the faithful Episcopalians, but I expect that they have been pretty miserable for some time now, and perhaps they feel relieved now, too.
ReplyDeleteIn a ten-minute phone call with one of the "remnant" last night, yes. Exhaustion. Relief. And energy, again.
ReplyDeleteThey're in good hands, and they will be all right.
Kirstin, thanks for the word from someone on the scene. It's good news, indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe remnant is out of limbo. In a sense, they have their church back. And they feel everyone's support around them.
ReplyDelete(They're also in very good hands, regarding pastoral care.)
I feel much worse for the people following their clergy out. I understand now, Paul's anger at spiritual abuse. (Our Paul, not the cranky biblical one.) I hadn't, because I'd never really experienced it. But reading T19 doesn't make me angry anymore. It only makes me sad.