A weekend of hope and information

After weeks of waiting the fog in the Central Valley of California is beginning to clear. In December, the Diocese of San Joaquin voted to leave The Episcopal Church (TEC) to join the Province of the Southern Cone (Iglesia Anglicana del Cono Sur de America). San Joaquin Episcopalians who have opposed this move have wondered as clergy were threatened, vicars were removed from churches by Bishop Schofield, the Standing Committee fired by Bishop Schofield, and Bishop Schofield was inhibited by the Presiding Bishop and awaiting deposition by the House of Bishops. Plans for reconstituting The Episcopal Church were revealed.

Now the first weekend of the new era has passed. Actions and comments from bloggers and news sources reveal a bit more clarity although many of the details are still in various stages of execution.

The Fresno Bee reports on the gathering held Saturday, January 26, that brought new hope to Episcopalians in Central California. The morning session of worship and talks by the Presiding Bishop, the President of the House of Deputies, the Presiding Bishop’s official pastoral presence and others was broadcast and can still be seen here.

“I’m beginning to hear there’s hope,” said (Steve) Bentley, youth director at St. Anne in Stockton. “It’s beginning to sound better than in the past.”

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.”

The Lodi News Sentinel reports:

As bishop, Schofield refused to allow women to be priests or serve Communion at Episcopal churches within the diocese, but on Saturday, three women served Communion during the Eucharist, said Andee Zetterbaum, an active member at St. John’s who made the trip to Hanford on Saturday.

Other news reports here and here.

Jake at his blog Father Jake Stops the World, has extensive coverage of the weekend and its events. He comments on the Presiding Bishop’s letter to the former Standing Committee members and live blogs with others through the comments section.

Dan Martins, former priest in San Joaquin who is currently serving in Indiana, comments here with several posts on the situation through the eyes of one who remains loyal to The Episcopal Church but is good friends with those who continue to live in San Joaquin and have served as leaders. He sees missed opportunities for reconciliation. It seems there is surprise and dismay as the consequences of approval, acquiescence and/or silence about the actions of Bishop Schofield and the former diocesan leadership closed the door to remaining in the Episcopal Church.

Katie Sherrod reflects here on the events and how they are seen by loyal Episcopalians in the Diocese of Fort Worth as Bishop Iker and that diocesan leadership follows in the footsteps of San Joaquin.

Along with many Episcopalians in Fort Worth, I watched the live video stream from the “Moving Forward, Welcoming All,” gathering of the Remain Episcopal group in the continuing Diocese of San Joaquin.

It was full of hope, and even better, information.

Mark Harris comments on the Standing Committee status at Preludium.

Episcopal Life Online reports on the Gathering, the Presiding Bishop’s letter to the Standing Committee, and ongoing coverage here. ELO also has this story on House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson’s Sunday-morning visit to the Holy Family Episcopal Church in Fresno.

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