News for Week Ending 6/15/2009

Testimony ends in New Westminster case

Anglican Journal has reported that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has completed its hearing to determine who owns the property of four parishes that have left the Diocese of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada for the Anglican Network in Canada. (See most recent Pittsburgh Update story here. Coverage of the hearing by the diocese can be found here. Coverage from the ANiC perspective is here.) It is unclear when the court will rule in the case.

Diocese of San Joaquin sends letters to parishes inviting return of property

The Rev. Jerry Lamb, provisional bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin, has sent letters to leaders of nine parishes that left The Episcopal Church inviting them to arrange for the transfer of all property back to the Episcopal Church diocese.The story was reported on the diocesan Web site. A press release about the letters quotes the bishop as saying, “I hope these churches will respond to this invitation, and that we can begin a conversation to move forward with this transition.” The diocese also reported that St. Paul’s, Modesto, has agreed to return its parish property to the diocese on July 1, 2009. The Modesto Bee ran a story on St. Paul’s, Modesto, June 14, 2009.

Los Angeles dioceses regains property

Episcopal News Service reported June 10, 2009, that a California appellate court has determined that the Diocese of Los Angeles is the owner of property now occupied by the breakaway St. Luke’s Anglican Church in La Crescenta, California. A statement from the church can be found on its Web site.

Albany defeats resolution supporting Episcopal Church

The Diocese of Albany, which held its annual convention June 5–7, 2009, failed to pass a loyalty resolution put forward by supporters of The Episcopal Church. Instead, the original resolution was amended to affirm that “the Diocese of Albany recognizes the legislative authority of The General Convention of The Episcopal Church as outlined in the Bishop’s [sic] Statement on the Polity of the Episcopal Church.” The statement referred to was issued by a group of conservative bishops, including Albany’s Bishop William Love, and posted on the Web site of the Anglican Communion Institute. That statement promotes the unorthodox view that The Episcopal Church is composed of independent dioceses capable of withdrawing from the church. Albany is one of the dioceses thought to be a candidate for a withdrawal such as was made in San Joaquin, Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and Quincy. (Pittsburgh Update reported on “Bishops’ Statement on the Polity of The Episcopal Church” here.) Details about the passage of the resolution were reported by Openly Episcopal in Albany, the blog of Albany Via Media.

Presiding Bishop deposes two bishops

VirtueOnline reported June 14, 2009, that Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has deposed two bishops, the Rt. Rev. Edward H. MacBurney, Bishop of Quincy (retired) and the Rt. Rev. David Bane, Bishop of Southern Virginia (resigned), under Canon II.12.7 (“Renunciation of ordained ministry by a Bishop”). Episcopal News Service has not posted a story on the depositions.

MacBurney was nearly deposed for interfering in the Diocese of San Diego, but Jefferts Schori lifted his inhibition after he apologized to Bishop of San Diego Jim Mathes. MacBurney then became interim bishop in the “realigned” Quincy diocese. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

Bane, who resigned his episcopate in the troubled Diocese of Southern Virginia, left The Episcopal Church to accept a position under deposed Pittsburgh bishop Robert Duncan. He was reputedly frustrated in his attempts to find another position within The Episcopal Church. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)