Women in Texas

From the Wall Street Journal:

FORT WORTH, Texas -- For three decades, a succession of conservative bishops here barred women from being ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church.

But the conservatives went their own way last fall, forming the Anglican Church in North America. And so on Sunday, exactly one year after that schism, Susan Slaughter will become the first woman in the Episcopal Church's Forth Worth diocese to don a red stole for ordination to the priesthood.

"God works in mysterious ways," Ms. Slaughter said, "and this is one of those."

The national Episcopal Church has been ordaining women priests since 1977, but a handful of holdout bishops around the country, including here in Fort Worth, refused. Bishop Jack Iker viewed women's ordination as a departure from traditional church practices and a break from the Biblical model of male priesthood.....

The ceremony at St. Luke's in the Meadow -- where Ms. Slaughter will become rector after her ordination -- is expected to be packed. It will be streamed live online for those who can't find seats.

Ms. Slaughter said she's overwhelmed. "The joy others are feeling humbles me," she said....

Ms. Slaughter says she doesn't consider her ordination a political statement but she recognizes that many in the audience will find the moment deeply meaningful.

Katie Sherrod is one of them. The wife of a retired Episcopal priest, Ms. Sherrod still recalls with absolute clarity the moment she first heard a woman consecrate the Eucharist, years ago, in a different diocese.

"My whole life, I'd heard it said in a man's voice," Ms. Sherrod said. So when a woman priest held up the host, or communion wafer, and declared 'This is my body," Ms. Sherrod said joy and relief washed over her. "It was the first time I got it. It spoke to me. I was part of the body of Christ too," Ms. Sherrod said. "It changed everything."

Dio. of Fort Worth Files Suit

The Diocese of Fort Worth (the real one), along with The Episcopal Church, has filed suit

...in court today for a declaratory judgment as the rightful owners of all diocesan property, real and personal, including funds and endowments. ---The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Read all about it on the diocesan website, along with a pastoral letter from the Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick.

Please, can we have our stuff back ?

The new Fort Worth diocesan chancellor, Kathleen Wells, has addressed a letter to the Hon. William T. McGee Jr., the former chancellor of the diocese (McGee is representing Bp. Iker and others who left the Episcopal Church). In it, the Standing Committee and the new Bishop of Fort Worth, the Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick, seek a peaceful and orderly transfer of property and other assets still held by Bp. Iker and others working with him who have left the Episcopal Church.

Note that the property would include St. Vincent's Cathedral, site of the first Provincial Assembly of the Anglican Church in North America to be held June 2009.

From the Fort Worth paper

Susan Russell highlighted this op-ed from the Fort Worth paper. The author is getting hammered in the comments from conservatives and neo-Catholics. Go read, and set them straight (a-hem!)

[W]e must say that this dispute, as so many others, is not new to Christian history. In fact, it is not new to any other of the living religious traditions, either. More than once in Christian history, disagreements and conflict have eventuated in schisms, some of which led to competitions for ecclesial authority. Will the Holy See find its home in Italy or France? Is the center of authority lodged in Rome or Constantinople? And a favorite one for Anglicans: Is it Rome or Canterbury?

And now the runoff du jour: Will the real Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth please stand up, and with it, its bishop?

In a recent advertisement in the Star-Telegram, the Rt. Rev. Bishop Jack Iker stood up, waved his hand and said, "It’s me!" He has withdrawn from the established Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A. and now claims that his newly founded diocese — in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury — is the one that has been here all along......

Such a lively revisionist sense of history!
.....
Bishop Iker: You just decided to leave. You were done with all that crazy Episcopal Church U.S.A. stuff. You followed your star, fine and good. But please don’t pretend that you’re the one staying and others — here all along — are the ones forming a new diocese. They are the ones continuing......the rule of thumb is — and one by and large supported by civil courts when it comes down to that nasty action — that the ones leaving don’t take the assets with them. They go out empty-handed because it’s their choice. Especially good church bylaws and rules of order prohibit this from happening.

It just so happened that I dropped by the convention of the continuing Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth on Feb. 7.

I have to say, there were lots of Episcopalians there worshipping and acting like church. Their presiding bishop was there, as was the newly appointed provisional one. The worship included much confession, affirmation of our basic unity, prayers for healing and encouragement to be the whole church in the world. From the spirit in the place, I’d say that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

As I went forward for communion, I was served the bread by a male priest and the cup by a female priest. I have to say, it seemed just about as whole and healthy as a family can be around the table.

But what do I know? I’m not even an Episcopalian.

Fort Worth keeps on keepin' on

The Fort Worth Star Telegram carries news of the life continuing and thriving in the Diocese of Fort Worth:

A reorganizing convention is scheduled for Feb. 7. Committees are preparing a budget, reviewing canons to bring them into compliance with national norms, communicating with the wider church and the public, nominating qualified lay and clerical candidates for diocesan offices and designing strategies and programs for various outreach ministries. In time, the full range of diocesan ministries will be reestablished.

On Feb. 7, the presiding bishop will call the convention to order and preside over election of a Standing Committee (three clergy, three laity), the highest level of elected leadership, and other officers. She also may then ask the convention to ratify a provisional bishop, appointed by her in consultation with the Steering Committee, to oversee the diocese until a bishop can be elected under ordinary circumstances.

Meanwhile, the church’s worship is going forward. Retired priests — including one woman — are leading services in the faith communities, and the parish congregations’ life of prayer goes on unimpeded.

The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is alive and getting healthier.

The people reorganizing the diocese want those who have separated to know that we hold them in our prayers as our brothers and sisters in Christ and that we hope to see the day when we are all back together at the same table, a family of blessed, happy Episcopalians.

Read more here.

Katie Sherrod writes at her blog:

---------------------------------
Since our entire Standing Committee -- Christopher Cantrell, Timothy Perkins, Thomas Hightower, Judy Mayo, Frank Salazar, and Walter Virden -- has left the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori informed them she does not recognize them as the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

--------------------------
Dec 15,2008
Dear Sirs and Madam,

I am writing to you because I have been informed that you constitute a group holding itself out as the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. It has come to my attention that recently you have taken actions in support of an attempt to take the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth out of the Episcopal Church and into affiliation with the Province of the Southern Cone. I understand that these have included meeting as the purported Standing Committee of an entity that identifies itself as a diocese in union with the Province of the Southern Cone, and electing officers of such a purported committee. These actions directly conflict with the Constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church.

Canon 1.17.8 of the Episcopal Church provides that "[a]ny person accepting any office in this Church shall well and faithfully perform the duties of that office in accordance with the Constitution and Canons of this Church and of the Diocese in which the office is being exercised." Your recent actions demonstrate that you have been and are unable to well and faithfully fulfill your duties as members of the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth under Canon 1.17.8. Accordingly, with this letter I inform you that I do not recognize you as the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth.

I regret the decisions you have made to attempt to take the Diocese out of The Episcopal Church and the necessary consequences of these actions. I give thanks for your service in the past, and pray that it may once again be a blessing to this Diocese. I remain

Your servant in Christ,

Katharine Jefferts Schori

More news of the REAL Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth here

Season of new life in Fort Worth

Katie Sherrod writes on her Desert's Child blog:

Things have been very busy here in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, as we work to reorganize and bring forth a healthier happier diocese.

So here are some updates:
The Steering Committee North Texas Episcopalians counts 15 intact parishes and “re-organizing parishes” as participants in the continuing Episcopal Diocese and an estimated five to six thousand Episcopalians. We fully expect this number will grow in the weeks ahead, particularly following the Special Convention on Feb. 7.

There are several events planned for the Special Convention beginning with a Friday Feb. 6 evening reception for Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. On Saturday Feb 7 we will have a morning Eucharist celebration, with the presiding bishop celebrating and preaching. There will be an afternoon Convention business meeting and a festive evensong.

The convention will be Trinity Fort Worth. The Eucharist will be at All Saints Fort Worth.

Bishop Katharine may propose a candidate to the Special Convention for it to either accept or decline as provisional bishop, to serve until a new bishop can be elected. This will probably take a year and half to two years.

Her office already is in close consultation with the Steering Committee re: potential candidates, and we anticipate a public announcement in advance of the special convention.

Correcting errors put out by the former leadership of the Diocese, she writes:

The truth is the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth continues.

- We are not forming a "new" diocese, we already are the diocese.

- We are not "adopting" a constitution and canons; we are declaring portions of the existing diocesan constitution and canons to be null and void.

- We will not be electing "founding officers." We will be filling offices left vacant by those who have left the Episcopal Church.

- We do not wish to be affiliated with the Episcopal Church; we ARE affiliated with the Episcopal Church.

- We are not 'hoping" the presiding bishop will be here, we know she will be here and that she will call the convention to order.

-The participants will be selected as canons require. Delegates to the convention will be elected at annual parish meetings held in January.

- The group is not leaving St. Albans; it is St. Albans. As is the case with several parishes in the diocese, the congregation and the rector occupying the building are no longer Episcopalians. We fully expect that we will regain that property and all the other properties now occupied by former Episcopalians for the Episcopal Church.

The announcement is also in error as to the location of the convention. It will be at Trinity Church, Fort Worth.

It will take some time for the confusion to sort itself out, but to those who are confused, here's a clue. The "real" Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is the one recognized by the Episcopal Church. That would be us, not those who left for the Southern Cone. They have done what they have wanted to do for years.

We wish them well. And we wish they would leave us and our property alone.

Read more here

Iker Won't Recognize Female Priests in Pittsburgh

In an interview over on the (so-called) Anglican Mainstream site, former Episcopal bishop Jack Iker discusses his relationship with ordained women in Bob Duncan's breakaway group in Pittsburgh:

Correct. I’m in communion with him [Duncan], and I’m in a state of impaired communion with women he ordains to the priesthood. Obviously they’re welcome in our churches, but not as celebrants of the eucharist.

They've barely got this "new thing" off the ground, and they're already arguing with each other over, well... purity issues.

Anyone for a serving of Schadenfreude Pie ?

So Jack, is it TEC's Property or Not ?

So it turns out that in the 1990’s a parish wanted to leave the Diocese of Fort Worth. They went to something called the Antiochean Orthodox Church so you can bet it was not because they thought Fort Worth was too conservative. Anyway, the diocese (wait for it) asserted the parish property was held in trust for the diocese and the national church. And there are even affidavits from William Wantland and Jack Iker. ---William Fleener, Jr., in his blog post Fort Worth moves from Devious to Hypocrisy

[tip o' the hat to Fr. Mark Harris]

The Once and Future Diocese of Fort Worth

Katie Sherrod blogs about an event held by Fort Worth Via Media where faithful Episcopalians in that beleaguered Diocese came together for support and to plan for the future.

Read about it in The Once and Future Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth. Lots of good, positive things coming for Episcopalians in Fort Worth.

Meanwhile in Ft. Worth and Pittsburgh

Plans are afoot in Fort Worth and Pittsburgh for the bishops to try to move to the Southern Cone and take churches along. +Jack and +Bob are busy trying to convince people this is a good idea. Meanwhile - stalwart Episcopalians are fighting back.

For an update on Pittsburgh check here and for Fort Worth check here.

Lots of lessons were learned from the San Joaquin struggle.

UPDATE: Fr. Mark Harris presents Bishop Iker's Reasoning for realignment, with commentary.

Fort Worth Exec. Council Votes to Leave

From the Ad Clerum email list of the Diocese of Fort Worth:

The Executive Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth today adopted and endorsed – with only one dissenting vote – the recommendation of the Bishop and Standing Committee “that this Diocese affiliate with the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone as a member diocese, on a temporary, pastoral basis, until such time as an orthodox Province of the Anglican Communion can be established in North America.”

Katie Sherrod has the story.

+Iker Fires Five Vestry Members

North Texans Remain Episcopal reports that secessionist bishop +Jack Iker of the Dio. of Fort Worth has exonerated the Rev. Kenneth W. MacKenzie, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church, Wichita Falls, TX, despite repeated claims of pastoral neglect, lying, and blighted leadership. The bishop, however, directed the priest to return to regular pastoral counseling and psychotherapy under his supervision.

Bp. Iker also fired five of the parish's vestry members and a long-time, trusted treasurer. Ordered off the vestry were a EYC sponsor and lay reader, a former Junior Warden, a former lay reader, lay Eucharistic visitor and ECW chair, a 50+ year member of All Saints, and a woman who has done every volunteer job at the church except junior warden at least twice. The treasurer had served in his role at the parish for 36 years and has been unanimously elected treasurer year after year at the Parish's annual meeting. With these firings, the bishop reduced the size of the vestry by one-half.

Four of the five dismissed vestry members had taken leadership roles in North Texans Remain Episcopal.