News for Week Ending 9/26/2011

Episcopal Church reorganization proposed

Chief operating officer of The Episcopal Church Bishop Stacy Sauls has proposed a plan to reorganize the church to minimize administrative costs and provide more resources for mission. The proposal, in the form of a presentation titled “Becoming a Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: An Adaptive Moment,” was made to Episcopal bishops meeting in Quito, Ecuador, September 20, 2011. Sauls proposed formation of a special commission that would lead to recommendations to be considered at a special General Convention to be held before the regular 2015 General Convention. Episcopal News Service reported the story September 20. In a follow-up story three days later, ENS provided more details and sampled the extensive discussion the proposal has spawned. Bishop Saluls’ PowerPoint presentation can be found here.

Fort Worth hearing date set

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth has reported that a hearing has been scheduled for October 6, 2011, before District Judge John P. Chupp. Despite months of out-of-court negotiations, the Episcopal diocese and breakaway defendants have not been able to come to terms on conditions the defendants must meet to stay immediate implementation of the judgement against them pending appeal. It will therefore be up to the judge to set a bond and other conditions.

South Carolina amendments null and void

According to the recent newsletter of the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina, the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church has determined that the recent constitutional amendments passed by the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina weakening accession to general church canons are null and void. In particular, a committee, at the June meeting of Executive Council, determined that a resolution passed in 2007 aimed primarily at changes made by the Pittsburgh diocese, applies to the Diocese of South Carolina as well. Additional details are provided in the newsletter cited above.