On Saturday, April 28, leaders of the Dioceses of Chicago and Quincy met in Chicago to continue discussing the possible reunification of the two dioceses, which were created when the Diocese of Illinois divided into three in 1877. Provisional Bishop John Buchanan of Quincy, and Bishop Jeffrey Lee and Assisting Bishop Christopher Epting, both of Chicago, attended the meeting along with clergy and lay leaders from both dioceses.
The assembled leaders agreed to develop a plan and timeline for future reunification discussions, which will continue with a meeting on August 18. Both dioceses hold their annual conventions in the fall ”” Quincy in October and Chicago in November ”” and plan to discuss reunification possibilities at those meetings.
Well, consolidation as the numbers of laity and parishes decreases seems to be the course of action for an ECUSA that no longer can attract new members and is losing current members.
May the bishops involved should think about returning to “…the Faith once given…” and to carrying out the Great Commission and rejecting politicizing leadership of ECUSA’s secularist leadership.
We are spending far too much time and far too many resources propping up outdated institutional structures. Consolidating dioceses will do nothing to halt the decline, and the effect on local and national morale will be terrible, but it is still a sensible thing to consider doing.
The rot has set in, and nothing short of a Divine Miracle can save TEC.