News for Week Ending 3/10/2014

CoE pastoral guidance continues to attract comments

The Church of England’s House of Bishops pastoral guidance on same-sex marriage has attracted more commentary. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) Thinking Anglicans has collected links to to the latest reactions here and here.

Costa Rica church sponsors forum on faith, sexuality

In what Episcopal News Service called a “first step toward welcoming the LGBTQ community,” the Episcopal Church of Costa Rica sponsored a March 4, 2014, “forum on faith, the Bible, sexual orientation and gender identity.” Other sponsors were the Lutheran Church of Costa Rica and human rights groups. Details can be found in the ENS story here. Note that the Costa Rican church is actually a diocese of the Anglican Church of Central America, which also includes the churches of Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Errant South Carolina diocese may accept oversight offer

The breakaway Diocese of South Carolina will consider a resolution at its March 14–15, 2014, convention to accept an offer of “provisional primatial oversight” offered by the Global South Primatial Oversight Council. The council was created at the Global South Primates Steering Committee meeting held in Cairo last month. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The plan is to accept oversight by the Global South Primates temporarily until the diocese settles on a permanent affiliation. An explanation of Resolution R-3 by Bishop Mark Lawrence can be found here. The resolution itself is here.

Conflict over The Falls Church comes to an end

On March10, 2014, the Supreme Court of the United States dismissed without comment the request from The Falls Church Anglican to review to ruling of the Supreme Court of Virginia awarding property of The Falls Church to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. (The most recent Pittsburgh Update story on the litigation is here.) This brings to an end the seven-year-long litigation occasioned by the defection from the diocese of 11 congregations. All the buildings involved have been returned to the diocese. Episcopal News Service ran a story on the Supreme Court decision that includes relevant links to additional information.

Woman minister chosen to lead Christian Associates

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported March 9, 2014, that the Rev. Liddy Gerchman Barlow of St. John United Church of Christ in Larimer, Pa., has been elected executive director of Christian Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania. She will replace the Rev. Dr. Donald B. Green, who is retiring next month. (Many Pittsburgh Episcopalians know Green from his attendance at diocesan events.) Barlow will become the first woman to become permanent executive director of Christian Associates.

Diocese embraces ashes-to-go

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh celebrated Ash Wednesday by taking to the streets and offering the imposition of ashes to passersby. Bishop Dorsey McConnell and the Rev. Timothy Hushion offered ashes in Market Square. (Pictures are available on the diocese’s Facebook page.) The Rev. Michelle Boomgaard of St. Paul’s, Mt. Lebanon, offered ashes at the Mt. Lebanon T Shop. (See KDKA-TV and Post-Gazette stories.) The Rev. Leslie Reimer of Calvary was imposing ashes on Walnut Street in Shadyside. Both she and Bishop McConnell were featured in a report from WTAE-TV. (See also pictures here.) The Rev. Jonathon Jensen, Calvary’s new rector, offered ashes at Shady Avenue and Walnut Street near Calvary Church. The AP also offered a story about ashes-to-go in Pittsburgh. Episcopal News Service ran a story about ashes-to-go elsewhere in The Episcopal Church.