A strong majority of the 7,500 Episcopalians in San Joaquin’s 47 churches voted last December to follow Bishop John-David Schofield out the door and align with conservatives in the Argentina-based Anglican Church of the Southern Cone. They and other conservatives disagree with the U.S. church on issues of homosexuality and the authority of Scripture.
Schofield and the dissident congregations continue to occupy San Joaquin property, while Episcopal leaders maintain it belongs to the Episcopal Church.
Both Schofield and the conservative dissidents say because they left the Episcopal Church, they are not bound by the new bishop or impacted by his election.
Meanwhile, about 300 Episcopalians, 70 of whom were convention delegates representing 18 congregations, turned out to elect Lamb and begin rebuilding their diocese.
“Right now we’re trying to build a diocese with cell phones, Blackberries and cars,” said Lamb.
Jerry Lamb said “It’s very disconcerting. It’s as if someone said ‘you are to be here’ tomorrow and you have to figure out how to get there.”
I don’t think Lamb ever figured out how to “get there” during his tenure as bishop of the Diocese of Northern California. His legacy during his last 4 years was a 19% drop in diocesan membership and a 14% drop in diocesan ASA. If Lamb keeps this success rate up, I think that the only property that the Diocese of Remain Episcopal will need in another 4 years is a phone booth. And with the boost to the cell phone companies Lamb is promising, perhaps there will be some unused pay phone booths available for cheap in 4 years time.
Cennydd: Well, without being too cynical, I seriously doubt that KJS appointed Jerry Lamb to grow the new Diocese of Remain Episcipal. I think that Lamb’s job is to be the name of the “bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin” on the lawsuit that is soon to be filed. Then, win or lose (and I have to think it will be lose), TEC will quietly merge the handful of parishes into the surrounding dioceses.
“Right now we’re trying to build a diocese with cell phones, Blackberries and cars,” said Lamb.
The carpetbagger bishop and his cohorts might try to build their “diocese” with the Gospel, but the institution formerly known as ECUSA gave that approach up a long time ago.
If, as the Episcopal Church contends, the Diocese of San Joaquin did not depart, then aren’t they bound by the existing constitution and canons? If this is true, then are the existing members of the Standing Committee still on the Standing Committee? Also, isn’t there something in the canons about what constitutes a quroum? How did the Diocese do any business with 18 out of 47 congregations being present and only a handful of the clergy resident in the diocese present?
The other alternative is that the congregations not represented have left and 18 congregations is truly a quroum and the clergy have transferred (and, thus, cannot be deposed). Thus the clergy present constitute a quroum.
The third alternative is that this is the first convention of a “new” diocese and there is no standing committee and no bishop and there are only 18 congregations present.
I wonder which answer TECUSA will go with. I don’t think that any of them bode well for the assertation that the diocesan and congregational property belongs with the “new” diocese.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
Without massive infusions of cash, I don’t see how this so-called “Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin” can hope to survive. Personally, I don’t think they will! The demographics just aren’t there, and this new “diocese” is unsustainable people-wise.
Will the ‘new’ Bishop of San Joaquin be invited to Lambeth?
Has Bishop Schofield’s invitation been withdrawn?
If TEC is a part of The Church of Jesus Christ then there would be no problem of a righteous change in governance and the dioceses still exists – no reconstitution necessary. If TEC is a garden club then they should start a new organisation where they now have none.
Now, to mix metaphores:
I actually think that TEC acts more like a leach and one of the hosts has esacaped prior to death caused by sucking its blood dry. The leach is angry and wants a new host.
Quite simple, actually.