“This vote demonstrates that when people have an opportunity to study the facts, they realize that the information disseminated by the ultra-conservative leadership of the diocese was misleading,” said the Very Rev. Robert Dedmon, the cathedral’s dean, on a website established by a group working to reorganize the diocese within the Episcopal Church. “Now this parish must get on with our Christian mission and ministry.”
I read this earlier in the day over on some of the other more liberal blogs. Needless to say, they are having a field day with it.
A cathedral parish of 196 votes? Hmm. Well, at least they get to vote and provide a ready bastion for the new rump Episcopal diocese. Maybe they’ll get enough cash to upkeep the Cathedral, too, along with the legal fundings?
Cathedral has had large losses in Membership and ASA and much volitility in Plate & Pledge since 2003. The Dean appears quite pleased with the vote. I would guess that the Cathedral will lead the legal action against their former brothers and sisters in the Quincy diocese. Quite sad. I suspect that Bishop Ackerman knew that this would happen and that it was a factor in his decision to retire. And now I have read that he plans to move back to Texas. Statmann
[i] The vote to stay within The Episcopal Church dwarfs the 54 layperson votes cast at the recent Synod of the Diocese of Quincy that purported to remove the Diocese from The Episcopal Church [/i]
—Quincy Quislings’ Press Release
Yes, and many elementary schools are larger than the U.S. Congress. So what?
Most interesting, and unfortunate. How was it that successive bishops were unable to influence the cathedral’s choice of deans over the years as to produce a compliant ecclesiastic structure? Oh, well, never mind. I’m delighted at the idea of parallel jurisdictions.
Oh, I agree with Irenaeus (and his namesake)… my parish is much larger than Quincy’s ex-cathedral. Who finds a congregation of 135 people to be threatening, anyway?
Not exactly the approach that we’ve chosen to adopt:
[url=http://www.trinitycathedralpgh.org/parish-news-cathedral-pre-convention-special-resolution/]Trinity Cathedral resolution[/url]
Jeremy: How is that working out? Did people from the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh (TEC) attend the Wednesday evening Thanksgiving service or was it only the members of Bishop Bob’s flock that came? I really hope that both were able to attend but I fear that it will not be the case. Somehow I do not see Bishop Bob (AB Bob ?) attending a service at Trinity with a Bishop from TEC leading it.
Eugene,
Unfortunately I had a conflict that night so although I know it was well attended, I can’t tell you what the proportions were. As to the long-term implications, I think it’s too soon to tell. We all believe in the ideal, both those of us who think of ourselves as more a part of the ACNA and those who associate themselves with TEC, but whether we have the ability to live into our new covenant, God alone knows. As far as Bishop Duncan is concerned, I think we need to allow a little time to pass (and a TEC bishop to be elected) before we know the sort of dynamic that’s likely to persist. I can think of at least one candidate from within the diocese who, if chosen, would be able to relate quite well to members of the new province. The operative phrase, of course, is [i]if chosen[/i].
I’m not certain, but I think that Dean Dedmon was canon to the ordinary to +Herzog (if I have the name correctly) in Tennessee, who I thought was a staunch conservative. Of course, that doesn’t mean that Dedmon+ was conservative, but chances are…
Tennessee was +Herlong
Albany was +Herzog
Thanks Brian…my memory isn’t what it used to be.