In June, four breakaway conservative dioceses formed the Anglican Church in North America, a rival national province to the Episcopal Church. Dozens of individual parishes have also joined.
But the Diocese of South Carolina is not considering that.
“The only model that’s been out there for us has either been leave or acquiesce, and that hasn’t been working,” Lawrence said Monday.
“We need to get the 30,000 members of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina awakened to the challenges before us,” he added. “Once we have done that, then the question is how do we engage the larger Episcopal Church?”
One of the resolutions to be debated Saturday says the national church has “failed to operate within the boundaries of its canons and continued participation in such behavior would make the Diocese of South Carolina complicit in this dysfunction.”
It authorizes the bishop and the diocesan Standing Committee “to begin withdrawing from all bodies of the Episcopal Church that have assented to actions contrary to Holy Scripture, the doctrine, discipline and worship of Christ as this Church has received them.”
Harmon likened the resolution to a wife in a troubled marriage moving to a room down the hall.
[b] Prayer is needed !! [/b] Bishop Lawrence has called for Friday to be a day of fasting and prayer. So if any one would like to join us in this day of prayer and fasting, please do ! If this request needs explanation to anyone, please go to the diocesan website – dioceseofsc.org. I am sure you will find lots of info about the upcoming special convention being held this Saturday.