After years of rancor and recriminations, the Fort Worth Episcopal Diocese could take the first step this weekend to severing ties with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
Though some delegates to the diocese’s annual convention remain supportive of the national church, a standing committee of the 24-county diocese has recommended giving tentative approval to leaving the more liberal Episcopal Church and joining with another province in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
The Episcopal Church — the U.S. body of the Anglican church –is at odds with some of its own members and the worldwide church over such issues as the national church’s confirmation of an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire in 2003. Conservatives within the Fort Worth Diocese have other differences with the Episcopal Church, including the 2006 election of Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. Opponents say a woman in that position is unbiblical.
The matters of ordination of women and gay men and of same-sex unions have also caused turmoil in other mainline denominations.
Fort Worth is one of three Episcopal dioceses in the United States that do not ordain women as priests, diocese leaders say.
About 350 lay delegates and clergy will vote Saturday on committee recommendations during the convention at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth.
A second, final vote will be taken in November 2008, said Suzanne Gill, communications director for the Fort Worth Diocese.
Sorry for the double post, but if you want to know the results of votes today, I was there as a delegate, here it is.
I’m not sure if this is where I should post this, but here are the results of the various votes at Convention today: we basically approved all the constitutional amendments put forward by the Diocese (its Committee on Constitution and Canons), by a majority of about 80% in each case. In more details:
Article 1, Authority of Gen Con, amendment to repeal to qualification to the accession clause, was defeated by 83% of clergy, 80% of lay delegates (71 and 99 votes respectively).
Article 14, Title to Church Property, amendment to say all property is held in trust for TEC, defeated by 88% of clergy, 87% lay (75,107).
Preamble, removal of reference to TEC and geographical boundaries, adopted by 83% clergy, 79% lay (71, 97 votes).
Article 1, Anglican Identity, instead of accession to TEC, approved by 83% clergy, 77% lay (69, 95 votes).
Art. 12, Delegates to Extra-Diocesan Conventions or Synods, approved by 83% clergy, 80% lay (69, 98 votes).
Art. 18, Canons, removing “consistent with Constitution and Canons of TEC”, approved by 83% clergy, 78% lay (69, 96 votes).
We also approved by 88% clergy, 82% lay to amend our Canon 32, Controversy between rector and vestry, to add controversies between a parish and the diocese, to provide an amicable way for a parish to leave the diocese.
We also approved a resolution to express our thanks for the welcome extended by Southern Cone, and asking our Bishop and Standing Committee to create a report on the implications and means of accepting such an invitation. And a resolution thanking the Panel of Reference for its report about the permissive rather than mandatory nature of ordination of women.
Assuming that the vote Verionique posted above is truly reflective of the Diocese – their wont be much left for TEC to rebuild with. God Bless Texas and the Diocese of Fort Worth.