Her sense is that the worst of the schism is over and that those who intend to leave have stated their intentions.
“We lament their departure because we are diminished by it,” she said. “But we will keep on being who we think God is calling us to be.”
In her view, the challenges are not all bad, even though the conflict is nothing anyone would choose.
And she predicted that parishes will come back with a new sense of mission.
All this “may drive some of us absolutely crazy, but my sense is that this is where God is calling us to be,” she said. “We haven’t reached consensus because the spirit is still at work. There is still conversation to be had.”
RE: “”We haven’t reached consensus because the spirit is still at work. There is still conversation to be had.”
Hee hee.
“We haven’t reached consensus because [people who disagree with us are still either being driven out or hunkering down in their diocesan bunkers behind high protective walls]. There is still [time to sue the departers and dig under the walls to get at the remaining conservatives]. [Once we accomplish those two things, we will have consensus among us inclusive progressives.]”
I can’t honestly decide if she is dissembling or is simply delusional.
… and empty churches have reached the ultimate consensus …
#2
The two things aren’t entirely mutually-exclusive.
“In her view, the challenges are not all bad, even though the conflict is nothing anyone would choose.”
This is being said by the woman who has instigated and forced more law suits than anyone else in the history of TEC – just goes to show how much anything she says can be trusted!
Well, even the Detroit Lions have cheerleaders.
She also pointed out that white Episcopal congregations are not growing. “No single diocese in the United States has grown in recent years,” she said.
Well, obviously she has not looked at South Carolina:
http://12.0.101.92/reports/PR_ChartsDemo/exports/ParishRPT_482009115935AM.pdf
While ASA is level, certainly membership has grown.
Perhaps it is just ‘no diocese on her radar screen has grown’.
Delaware appears to be a good choice for an upbeat talk. From 2002 through 2007 it lost about 2 percent of Members and 5 percent of ASA, while the increase in Plate & Pledge matched inflation. Only 9 other dioceses did as well or better. In 2007 there were 185 Infant Baptisms and 202 Burials, so Aging does not appear to be a major problem. And in 2007 Other Income (above Plate & Pledge) amounted to 35 percent of Total Operating Income, so Trust Funds are certainly available. Delaware may well be an example of where “a taut ship is a happy ship”. Statmann