Am I correct that one of the previous complaints about Bishop Lawrence was that he had refused to accept the Port Royal congregation into the diocese?  Is that congregation an Episcopal Church or is it an independent congregation using the Book of Common Prayer?  What is the canonical status of the clergy who conduct services there?  Is the Hilton Head congregtion the only one that does not support the position taken by the diocesan convention and the Standing Committee?

I am unclear as the purpose of running such an ad.  Anyone who is interested in the politics of the situation likely already knows about that situation, certainly more than he or she can find out from a 200 word newspaper ad. And I highly doubt that The World,, or any portion thereof, is going to be attracted to a congregation by an ad that says, in essence, “Come to our Church so you can join us on our side of this denominational fight.

So what’s the point?

It’s sometimes astounding how many words TEC leaders can use WITHOUT saying “Jesus.”

2,  As somebody from the TEC side of “the denominational fight” I can offer at least one purpose:

One of the exercises we in South Carolina who are loyal to TEC are involved in is reaching out to Episcopalians who have left their local Episcopal parish since Bishop Lawrence arrived.  I know Bishop Lawrence’s people claim the diocese has grown and I don’t dispute that, but along the way liberals have faced a choice of staying with a diocese taking a hard stand on the matter of human sexuality or trying another denomination. 

So the ad isn’t directed at Bishop Lawrence’s supporters—it is directed at Episcopalians who in the last decade or so have decamped for the Methodist, Presbyterian, and nondenominational churches because they don’t recognize Bishop Lawrence’s diocese as having much to do with the TEC they want to be part of.

South Carolina’s population growth in the past decade has been driven in part by inward migration from the northeast and rust belt.  That’s hundreds—maybe thousands—of Episcopalians, many of whom would consider themselves institutionalist and inclusive—blue staters who don’t clutch their pearls at the thought of woman priests, homosexuals on the vestry, and an emphasis on the social gospel.  Why not let us TEC loyalists have a shot at recruiting them?  I doubt they’d qualify as Christians in the eyes of some reasserters.