Mission churches operate under the auspices of the bishop of the diocese and, rather than a rector, they have a vicar.
After a church gains at least 50 families and establishes a sound financial base, it can gain its own autonomy within the diocese.
[Jim] Hedman made the convention sweet for church members by giving Bishop Dabney Smith a jar of M&M’s candies when he walked in.
“I sometimes abbreviate our church name in my emails as St. M&M,” said Hedman, who began to realize there was a preaching moment there when he got the chance to make a short speech at the convention.
Does this mean that a TEC parish has actually grown significantly?
Outside of South Carolina and Central Florida, that must be news?