In Minnesota Local Episcopalians petition to put Waubun priest on bishop ballot

Posted by Kendall Harmon

Doyle Turner of Waubun was nominated by a petition circulated by members of Trinity Church - Episcopal and Presbyterian of Park Rapids. Petitioners actually drove the papers to the diocese offices in Minneapolis Aug. 14, the last day to submit petitions.

The petitioners solicited funds to help finance the drive. Typical of his unpresuming nature, Turner thanked parishioners for their support, but told them to keep their donations modest.

“The church needs a rural voice,” he said in accepting their support.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Bishops

6 Comments
Posted August 22, 2009 at 2:02 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. New Reformation Advocate wrote:

Well, imagine that, a humble priest who would prefer to drop out of the whole election process.  And someone who thinks that TEC should be less issue-driven and “more spiritual.”  What a welcome change!

And a real Native American, born and raised on a reservation, as opposed to some pseudo-minority bishops like +Carol Gallagher, who is something like 1/16th Cherokee.

David Handy+

August 22, 8:50 pm | [comment link]
2. Posse Rider wrote:

Mrs. Rider and I were members of this parish some years ago.  Park Rapids is about 225 north and west of Minneapolis/St. Paul, far off the beaten track for the standing committee.  Trinity is now in joint communion with the Presbyterian church, alternating Sunday services, if I remember correctly.  This was done as the local numbers of both ECUSA and PCA were too small to support individual congregations.  On a good Sunday in the winter (off-season), the ECUSA-only numbers would be 12 - 15. 

I got to know Fr. Turner a little while we were up there, as I recall he is a good man, humble in his service to the Lord.  I would be surprised to see if this goes anywhere, in our experience the diocese/standing committee has little time for the rural parishes and their members.  Those in control will likely see this as amusing, but will dismiss it in favor of their agenda and candidate.

August 22, 10:50 pm | [comment link]
3. Posse Rider wrote:

Sorry, it’s getting late.  Park Rapids is about 225 miles north and west of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

August 22, 10:51 pm | [comment link]
4. Archer_of_the_Forest wrote:

How was this canonically acceptable to have a joint communion with the Presbyterian church. As far as I know, the Episcopal Church is not in a Eucharistic Sharing or Full Communion relationship with the PCUSA. Can individual dioceses enter into communion with another denomination that the larger TEC has chosen not to do yet? Am I misunderstanding this arrangement?

August 23, 8:36 am | [comment link]
5. FenelonSpoke wrote:

Now why did his parishioners want to go and try to do a mean thing like that? ;^)

Seriously, though, I don’t know why anyone would want to be a Bishop in the TEC right now, but he sounds like a spiritual, thoughtful Christian man.

August 23, 7:06 pm | [comment link]
6. TomRightmyer wrote:

Archer (4) asks about joint ministry wth Presbyterians. There are several joint congregations, one of the oldest being at Indian Hill in Southern Ohio. Clergy are episcopally ordained.

August 23, 7:37 pm | [comment link]
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