News for Week Ending 11/4/2013

Church releases statistics from 2012 parochial reports

The Episcopal Church has posted information summarizing 2012 parochial reports. Overall, church membership declined 1.4% from 2011 to 2,066,710, Most of that decline occurred in domestic dioceses. The Diocese of Pittsburgh, however, saw a 1.7% increase in membership and a 0.5% increase in average Sunday attendance. The diocese reported 9,085 church members in 2012. The statistics, presented in various ways can be found here.

Quincy funds remain frozen

In an October 29, 2013, blog post, A.S. Haley reported that bank accounts for the Diocese of Quincy worth approximately $4.1 million, are frozen, pending appeal by The Episcopal Church. The Illinois trial court ruled against the Episcopal diocese and for the breakaway group in September. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The Episcopal Diocese of Quincy no longer exists, having been folded into the Diocese of Chicago. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

John-David Schofield dead at 75

Deposed Bishop of San Joaquin John-David Schofield was found dead in his Fresno, California, home, having died October 29, 2013. Schofield led one of three dioceses of The Episcopal Church that refused to ordain women priests and eventually was the first Episcopal bishop to lead a substantial portion of his diocese out of The Episcopal Church in 2007. Details of his life and death can be found in the October 30 story from Episcopal News Service.

Legal news from Texas

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth has updated information about church property litigation in Texas. Pittsburgh Update earlier noted that the Episcopal parties filed an appeal for a rehearing before the Texas Supreme Court of the case heard on direct appeal from the 141st District Court, Tarrant County. The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, in an October 22, 2013, posting, linked to the actual motion. In the same posting, the Diocese of Forth Worth reported that the breakaway faction filed a waiver of their response to the motion for rehearing on October 22. Also, Episcopal parties filed a motion for a rehearing in the companion Masterson case. The Fort Worth diocese also noted, on October 24, that the Texas Supreme Court requested the ACNA parties to file responses to the Episcopal parties requests for rehearings in the two cases. Note that filings in the Fort Worth case can be found here, and filings in the Masterson case can be found here.

Trinity School for Ministry posts YouTube video

Trinity School for Ministry (formerly Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry but now billed as “An Evangelical seminary in the Anglican tradition), has posted an informational video, “Trinity 101,” on YouTube. The 6-1/2 minute video can be viewed here.

Information about diocesan convention available

An issue of the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s electronic newsletter Grace Happens was sent out November 4, 2013, giving partial information about the annual convention that was held at Trinity Cathedral November 1 and 2. The newsletter lists the winners of all elections and announces that St. Brendan’s, Franklin Park, has a new rector, the Rev. D. Scott Russell. (The parish Web site has a letter from the new rector here.) The newsletter does not contain the bishop’s address given November 2. Nor does it mention that Good Shepherd, Hazelwood, which had been participating in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, has returned to the Episcopal diocese, a fact noted at the Eucharist on November 1.

PEP displays at diocesan convention

Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh displayed a table at Pittsburgh’s annual convention held at Trinity Cathedral November 1 and 2, 2013. Beth Stifel and Lionel Deimel were the official PEP ambassadors for the PEP table. The table included a slide presentation, paper versions of the slide show, membership forms, and information sheets about PEP. Its most popular feature, however, was a collection of tasty candy provided for convention attendees. You can see a picture of the PEP table on the PEP Facebook page.