Week Ending 01/08/18

Scottish Church Faces Push Back On Appointment of Bishop

In November the Bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland announced they had selected Canon Anne Dyer as the new Bishop of Aberdeen. She will be the first woman to serve as a Bishop in the Scottish Church, however, the appointment has hit a snag because conservatives in the diocese are objecting  to the process of her selection, although it followed church canons. The opponents chose to use a public letter to voice their concerns and ask for her to stand down. An account on Anglican.ink has more background in a cover letter email sent to the Primus of the Church with the public letter. Scottish bishops, including the Primus have responded.  The British site ThinkingAnglicans has good links to much of this conflict.

The Price Parishes Paid for Dealing with Confederate Symbols

Religion News has a thoughtful piece on the prices paid by parishes who had in the past honored Robert E. Lee with plaques or naming.  Both went through a multi-year discernment process, both tried hard to listen to their members, and both ended up losing their rectors.  Update covered the original decisions, but this essay provides much greater detail on how Episcopalians tried to find a middle way, but simply could not avoid conflict.

Episcopal Church Serves as Mudslide Shelter Until Ordered to Evacuate

The recent fires near Montecito and Santa Barbara, California left the ground bare and vulnerable to mudslides.  Recent rains triggered major slides with the result that much of the town of Monecito has been affected.  Just as Episcopal churches reached out to refugees from the fires ( see Update stories here and here), the local Episcopal Parish, All Saints-by-the-Sea,  served as a shelter for those who had to flee their homes, but the slides cut water and electricity to much of the community, forcing the Church to end its shelter activities and evacuate those there. 

Presiding Bishop Curry Visits Area Recovering from Hurricanes

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has been visiting the hurricane devastated areas of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.  He viewed relief projects sponsored by the local Episcopal Churches and ERD, preached, and encouraged those who had lost so much. Update has been following relief efforts.  The most recent story  is here.

People in the News

The Anglican Mission in America announced the death of Bishop Charles Murphy, who was ordained  bishop with John Rogers in an irregular service held in Asia in 2000.  Murphy was the founder of the AMiA, the first schismatic group formed in the renewed controversy.

Pittsburgers may remember the Rev. Don Green, the Lutheran minister who retired a few years ago as Executive Director of Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania.  He was featured in a story on Religion News as a cruise ship chaplain, something he has done periodically for a number of years.