Meeting in Hanford, California, Episcopal Church members struggle

Posted by Kendall Harmon

About 250 people came to worship and to hear representatives of the U.S. Episcopal Church and the Fresno-based Remain Episcopal organization. The message was clear: Don't feel abandoned.

"You are not alone," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in a video message shown during the gathering. "God is always with you."

Delegates of the Diocese of San Joaquin voted at an annual convention in December to leave the U.S. Episcopal Church largely because of differences with the national body's approval of same-sex blessings, ordination of gay bishops, the role of women in the church and how to interpret the Bible over such issues.

Among the diocese's 48 congregations in 14 counties, fewer than 10 remain Episcopal.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Conflicts • TEC Conflicts: San Joaquin

7 Comments
Posted January 29, 2008 at 7:44 am [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Matthew A (formerly mousestalker) wrote:

“fewer than 10 remain Episcopal”. Well that is accurate in the sense that five is fewer than ten. I guess you could say six, if you count St. Nicholas. Why not just say six?

It seems as though anytime Remain Episcopal has an event or is mentioned in the press, the numbers get vague.

January 29, 8:31 am | [comment link]
2. NancyNH wrote:

And how many of those 250 attendees were from outside the Diocese of SJ? My guess would be well over 50%. The pattern of packing a “local” meeting with outsiders started long ago.

January 29, 11:12 am | [comment link]
3. nwlayman wrote:

It’ll be much more cost effective for the clergy she hires to make video appearances as dose the PB.  You-Tube, perhaps?  You are not alone…..You have Katherine, via the Web.

January 29, 1:13 pm | [comment link]
4. Nikolaus wrote:

What’s been the ASA for those 5 parishes (and one mission)?  I’m guessing that you really only have one mediocre sized parish left.

January 29, 5:41 pm | [comment link]
5. Cennydd wrote:

I’d say it’s probably not much more than 400 people…...and that would be on a bright sunny day.

January 29, 6:29 pm | [comment link]
6. Choir Stall wrote:

Don’t worry NancyNH:
Many ultra-progressives are famous for throwing a party and then leaving while somebody else cleans up their mess. The proof in this Remain Party will be when people have to keep attending, pay bills for the mounting debts, and then expand their ranks.
NOT GONNA HAPPEN…

January 29, 10:11 pm | [comment link]
7. Cennydd wrote:

The Episcopal Church has a long history of closing non-viable parishes which become insolvent missions over the years, and these churches will be no different.  How long might it be before they’re closed?  Possibly two to three years, if TEC’s track record is any indicator.

January 30, 12:26 am | [comment link]
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