“There is a real spirit of joy [in the diocese],” said the Very Rev. Kathleen McNellis, who is serving as vicar of St. Francis on the Hill, El Paso, Texas. The congregation has moved out of its church building and is meeting in a synagogue after the vestry voted to leave the Episcopal Church. The congregation and the Episcopal Church are suing the departed St. Francis parish in a property dispute.
The Rev. Lew Powell, deacon at St. Thomas of Canterbury, Albuquerque, said there’s “a real sense of collegiality that I haven’t always felt. The presence of the Holy Spirit is healing the diocese.”
Among the changes to the diocesan canons was to call its annual gatherings “conventions” instead of “convocations.” The latter term had been introduced by Bishop Kelshaw, who saw the gatherings as “the bishop calling the people together,” Canon Kelly said. The new term is a more democratic form. “A convention is the people of God coming together,” he said.
RE: ““There is a real spirit of joy [in the diocese],†. . .
And
“. . . there’s “a real sense of collegiality that I haven’t always felt. The presence of the Holy Spirit is healing the diocese.â€
Yes indeed. One can tell by the additional two parishes that have left the diocese, one of which was one of the largest *left* in the diocese.
Isn’t it wonderful how the diocese is becoming more and more “reconciled” as the disagreeing elements depart it.