Ending three years of sitting on the fence during a breakup over doctrine, leaders of a historic Downtown church decided to break away from the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh and affiliate exclusively with the Episcopal Church.
Trinity Cathedral’s governing board last week voted 11-7 to withdraw from the more theologically conservative sect, overturning an October 2008 resolution to serve both the Episcopal Church diocese and the Anglican diocese.
“This decision was not made lightly or hastily,” the Rev. Catherine M. Brall, provost at the cathedral, said in a letter to members. “Many, if not most, of the comments made during the lengthy time of discussion had been previously raised.”
Anglican officials said they were “saddened” by the vote.
“A house of prayer for all people, and everyone is welcome?” Sure, if you don’t mind Jefferts Schori’s dominating everything. But if you’re an ACNA Anglican, you’re out of luck. They’ll share the building with Muslims, but not with you!
How much will their assessment to 815 be, and exactly how are they going to pay it? Just curious.
I seem to recall that the Court awarded the TEC Dio some $20 million in trust funds. That should cover it. Statmann
#3 — The $20 million in Investment Pool #1 (a balance that fluctuates with market conditions) has since its initiation been managed by the Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese. After the division of October, 2008, there were two bodies with that name, and the courts have found that the Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese (TEC) are those responsible for oversight. The largest single part of this “$20 million” consists of funds owned by individual parishes–those parishes in the past having decided to join the diocesan pool. Quarterly draws on these funds have been regularly paid by the Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese to the parishes, including both Episcopal Diocese and Anglican Diocese parishes. Another substantial part of Pool #1 is owned by the diocese, but with specified beneficiaries–sometimes a parish, sometimes an organization (ECW, Diocesan Altar Guild, etc.) Finally, of that part of the pool truly a “diocesan endowment,” a significant part is restricted to particular use (ranging from the Bishop’s Discretionary Fund to the Chaplaincy fund, for example). I’m not a Trustee, but I reviewed the numbers some time ago, and I believe truly unrestricted “diocesan endowment” is only about a quarter of the total of the “$20 million” Pool #1 assets.
These are of course meaningful resources for the life and ministry of the Church in Southwestern Pennsylvania, especially in a general era of decline, and more especially in light of the special situation resulting from the division of the diocese and all the associated stresses. The Trustees have a very challenging task in their ministry of stewardship. But these resources are far from unlimited, and the “$20 million” number may give the wrong impression of what the situation actually is.
Bruce Robison