News for Week Ending 4/20/2015

GAFCON primates conclude London meeting

The GAFCON Primates Meeting in London concluded April 17, 2015. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.) The group issued a communiqué on April 17 saying that their churches do not intend to leave the Anglican Communion and supporting the efforts of the Anglican Mission in England, which is setting up “Anglican” churches not associated with the Church of England. The communiqué also indicates that a third GAFCON conference is being planned for 2018. Additional details of the meeting were covered by The Telegraph. Thinking Anglicans has collected a number of links to commentary about the GAFCON Primates Meeting.

Beth Adamson honored

Anglican Communion News Service reported April 15, 2015, that American Beth Adamson has been given an Award for Global Service by the Anglican Communion Office at the United Nations for her work with the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. Additional information about Adamson can be found here on page 4.

New church group seeks divestment from corporations involved in Israeli occupation

A newly formed group, the Episcopal Committee for Justice in Israel and Palestine, has been formed “to advocate for a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land.” The group is proposing a resolution for the upcoming General Convention that would, among other things, have The Episcopal Church withdraw investments from corporations that “support the infrastructure of Israel’s Occupation.” Details, including the text of the resolution, can be found here.

S.C. Supreme Court agrees to hear Episcopal Church appeal; breakaway group challenges Fourth Circuit action

The Post and Courier reported April 15, 2015, that the South Carolina Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of the Episcopal Church in South Carolina to the lower court decision that awarded property to the breakaway group led by former Episcopal bishop Mark Lawrence. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)

On another front in the South Carolina property litigation, South Carolina Episcopalians reported April 17 that the Mark Lawrence faction has asked the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its decision to overturn Judge Weston Houck’s refusal to entertain the trademark case entered by the Episcopal Church in South Carolina.

Women tell story of first ordinations

Two members of the Philadelphia 11, the first women ordained to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church, took part in a symposium in Knoxville, Tennessee, sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women in the Diocese of East Tennessee on April 11, 2015. The women described the difficulties they experienced in the church and how they came to be ordained. Details are to be found in a story published by Episcopal News Service.