St. Francis released a statement Friday stating: \u201cAs in most religious communities, there are current issues in the Episcopal Church that are being faced, discussed, and acted [Mark] upon on an international, national, state, diocesan and local level. Time and space constraints limit a full explanation\/discussion of the actual issues in this forum. Suffice it to say there have been two primary groups at St. Francis who now desire to follow separate paths along a fork in the road.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Zimmerman said the two groups both needed some space to grow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe felt we needed some space and they needed some space so they can discuss and plan their future and we could plan and discuss our future,\u201d\u009d he said.<\/p>\n
Zimmerman said the issues that are dividing the Episcopal community lie in biblical authority.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are those who still use traditional language and images, but the meanings have strongly shifted,\u201d\u009d he said. \u201cI think the biggest difference is some see God as a God who accepts us and transforms us. The (national) church is exclusively a church of acceptance.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n