Week Ending 11/28/16

Episcopal Church Affirms Support of Standing Rock as Winter Blasts the Camps

A a strong winter storm and bitter temperatures blasted the groups camped near Standing Rock Reservation on Nov. 27, officials from the federal government also announced that water protectors needed to leave their camp on federal land because winter conditions put them at risk.  The Governor of North Dakota set December 5 as the deadline by which they must vacate the camp. Ironically, that is General George Custer's birthday, a fact not lost on the Native Americans at the camp.  Meanwhile the Episcopal Church News Service has a long article stressing their continued support for the groups and gives a good update on conditions at the camp and the position of the water protectors. The Update has carried a number of stories on Episcopal Church involvement in the protest.  The most recent is here. 

GAFCON Responds to Communion Officials

Debate continues concerning the recently issued GAFCON "report" on supposed "violations" of the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution 1.10 which dealt with homosexuality.  The General Secretary of the Church of England's Archbishops Council issued a long declaration pointing out misunderstandings about the nature of a Lambeth Resolution which the Update covered last week.  No GAFCON in England has responded with a counterblast.  Undoubtedly there will be more statements back and forth in the coming weeks.

Tanzanian Bishops Refuse to Act on Charges Against Former Primate

The Update reported earlier this month that charges had been brought to the Bishops of the Church in Tanzania against Bishop Mokiwa on corruption related to sales of church properties.  The civil courts had ruled they did not have jurisdiction and so charges were brought in the ecclesiastical realm.  Anglican Ink, reports that the bishops declined to hear the charges against Bishop Mokiwa feeling that they were largely an outgrowth of tribal rivalries.

Anglican Communion Sponsors 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

It may be hard to tell in the U.S. where attention is focused on the Presidential Transition, but on November 25 the Anglican Communion began a 16 day period of activism against gender-based violence with provinces and dioceses around the word sponsoring programs.  The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is not apparently participating in any way. 

TEC Representative to Canadian Synod Calls Trump Election a Betrayal of Values

Canon (lay) Doreen Duncan, who serves as the Episcopal Church's representative to the Council of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada spoke at the Council's latest meetings about her fears and concerns following the election of Donald Trump as the next president.  Among other things she called it a "betrayal" of christian values.  The Anglican Journal carried a full description of her comments here. 

 St. Louis Parish Sues to Prevent Merger They Oppose

Members of All Saints Episcopal Church, the oldest African-American parish in Missouri sued the priest in charge and parish administrator for absconding with the parish endowment and locking them out of their parish building.  The priest had announced they were being merged with Ascension Parish, which he also serves.  He moved the administrative offices of All Saints to Ascension.  All Saints is much larger both in membership and in its physical plant than Ascension.  The details are in this story from the St. Louis Dispatch.