Quincy members vote to leave Episcopal Church, align with Southern Cone

The tiny diocese of Quincy in Illinois (one of the three remaining dioceses that refuse to ordain women) has voted to affiliate with the Southern Cone.
This from the Chicago Tribune-


The Diocese of Quincy's governing synod has voted resoundingly to leave the national Episcopal Church.

The announcement came Friday afternoon during the group's meeting at Quincy Country Club. In the past five years the Peoria-based Diocese of Quincy and some of the other conservative-leaning dioceses around the nation have threatened to leave the Episcopal Church to join other Anglican bodies.

The diocese has 24 churches and missions and about 1,800 members in its Quincy, Rock Island and Peoria deaneries.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-episcopalsplit,0,4087555.story

And from Episcopal New Service-

Members of Quincy's leadership, including former diocesan bishop Keith Ackerman, who retired on November 1, have been at odds with the wider church over such theological issues as the church's attitude toward homosexuality.

The vote on the resolution to leave the Episcopal Church was taken by orders. Members of the clergy voted 41 to 14 in favor of the resolution. Lay delegates voted 54 to 12 in favor of the resolution.

The second resolution stated that the Diocese of Quincy "wishes to accept the gracious invitation extended by the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone in November, 2007, to offer membership to extra-provincial dioceses on an emergency basis."

On the resolution to join the Southern Cone, clergy voted 46 to 4 in favor. Lay delegates voted 55 to 8 to approve the resolution.

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_102247_ENG_HTM.htm