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Pittsburgh Update

Pittsburgh Update publishes weekly summaries of recent developments in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, The Episcopal Church, and the Anglican Communion that affect or could affect Pittsburgh Episcopalians. Emphasis is on reporting, not interpretation. This is a service of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh. This site is in no way affiliated with the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh or the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh.


A Pittsburgh Episcopal Voice          

A Service of Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh         

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

Week Ending 02/21/22

Episcopalians Endorse Green Burials

The Episcopal News Service has a story on how Epsicopal parishes are working with groups to offer "green" burials, i.e. those with minimal or no treatment of the corpse, simple bio-degradable coffins, or no coffin, and natural landscapes.  There are twelve such burial sites now registered in the United States.  The object is to be more conservation aware and in tune with nature.  For more on this new trend, the full ENS article is here.

Australian Archbishop Decision on Ordination Upsets Conservatives

The Archbishop of Perth, Kay Goldsworthy, is going forward with an ordination that is upsetting conservatives in her area because the two men have had non-traditional relationships.  One had a long-term relationship with a woman in which they lived as husband and wife without being married and raised several children, and the other was in a civil partnership with another man.  The first couple has since married.  The one source carrying this story is the conservative news source Anglican.ink.  

Continuing Stories

Newburyport Church Creates Home in Its Undercroft for Afghan Refugees

St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Newburyport, MA, has converted its undercroft into apartments for two Afghan refugee families.  The church has gathered a group of volunteers and refugee service agencies to help the families settle in, start school, find work, etc.  A Boston news service featured the church with this story.  Update has noted other Episcopal parishes engaged in refugee resettlement, including one housing refugees in their former office space, and others involved in resettlement work done in conjunction with  others here.

Church of England Synod Debates How to Elect Archbishop of Canterbury

The Church of England Synod heard arguments both for and against the proposal which would change the Archbishop of Canterbury election commission membership to reduce representation from Canterbury and give seats to representatives from other parts of the Anglican Communion.  Put forward as a way to break with a colonial past, several of the opposing comments suggested that it would instead increase the image of colonialism.  Episcopal Cafe has a good summary of the discussion.  Update covered the original proposal here.

Chicago Bishop Elect Resumes Some Duties 

Chicago Bishop Elect, Paula Clark, has taken the first steps towards resuming duties and her consecration.  The process had been stopped and Chicago has been cared for by assisting bishops, most recently Chilton Knudson, while Clark rehabilitated following a brain bleed.  She is resuming office duties for about 20 hours a week.  Clark has had a slow recovery complicated by  her husband's diagnosis with cancer and subsequent death in November 2021.