THE Bishop of San Joaquin, the Rt Revd John-David Schofield, whose diocese voted by a majority to leave the Episcopal Church in the United States and affiliate with the Province of the Southern Cone, has told two churchmen sent into the diocese by the US Presiding Bishop’s Office as an interim pastoral presence that they are “meddling in the affairs of San Joaquin”.
He has warned the two, Canon Robert Moore, and Canon Brian Cox, a self-acknowledged conservative who specialises in conflict resolution all over the world: “Under no circumstances are you welcome to hold meetings in this diocese or to ask permission of clergy or other leaders to do so.” The two men are to “desist from entering this diocese”, unless they want to talk face-to-face with the Bishop.
The two have been conducting a four-day “listening tour”, in which clergy and lay people had been openly invited to participate. The goal had been “to heal, reconcile and reconstitute the Episcopal diocese of San Joaquin”, Canon Cox told the Episcopal News Service. A steering committee has been appointed to the task.
The Episcopal Church’s executive council has expressed its solidarity with the US Episcopalian remnant, committing itself to providing pastoral care, helping reorganisation, and supporting “legal actions necessary to retain the assets of the diocese for ministry”.
It stated: “We will hold clergy leaders accountable to their vows to uphold the doctrine, discipline and worship of this Church and lay leadership accountable to the fiduciary responsibilities of the offices they hold.
“Up to $500,000 of income from trust funds will be made available in the calendar year 2008 to support the mission work of the diocese of San Joaquin and similarly situated dioceses.”
|
back to News
previous story
|
next story 
back to top
.gif "New, nearly new, and used cars for church and charity © site")
