Split in Episcopal Church a 'sad' reality, say Norwalk pastors

Another report from Connecticut, this time from Norwalk. Rectors are saying the "new province" will have no effect on their congregations.

Both Lang and Keen say the announcement this week will not change the day-to-day routines of their churches and will not affect the way their parishioners view their faith.

"What happened in Illinois won't affect my congregation at all," Keen said. "For the most part, parishioners in the Episcopal Church will go on worshipping. The issue of gay and lesbian ordination and promotion to bishop doesn't really affect their lives in the church. They will go on worshipping as they did before Wednesday."

(snip)

The proposed split would further divide the already troubled community but would bring together nine groups who have cut their ties with the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada over the years. Membership of this new community is estimated at 100,000 individuals. The Episcopal Church's worldwide membership numbers more than two million.

"There isn't going to be some sort of mass exodus from the Episcopal Church in order to join this new group," Lang said. "Those who are here are here because the Episcopal Church is an accepting community and because they don't agree with excluding people based on gender or sexual preference. This conservative group would rather everyone stay in the closet."

http://www.thehour.com/story/461046

Episcopal Schism In Groton Leads To Property Dispute

From Hartford Connecticut- An Episcopal Congregation joins CANA and tries to take its property.

The question of who keeps the property once a congregation votes to leave the Episcopal Church — as Bishop Seabury did — is one that has consumed the denomination for the last couple of years.

And, as in the case of the Groton church, many bishops have opted to sue congregations in an effort to gain control of property.

That is what happened in Groton, after the congregation refused to obey Smith's order to vacate the property. The diocese sued the church last May, around the same time Gauss was suspended, and appointed a "priest-in-charge" for Bishop Seabury.

This is the second time the Connecticut diocese has brought a lawsuit against one of its churches for this reason. It sued Trinity Church in Bristol over the same issues in 2006, arguing that under canon law church property is held in trust for the diocese and the national church.

The lawsuit against Bishop Seabury also claims there is a historic, hierarchical relationship between the parish and the diocese that has been recognized in numerous ways, such as loans from the diocese to the parish for real estate ventures and the appointment of priests.

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-postscript1201.artdec01,0,6342348.story

Good Stuff in TEC: Conneticut

Donations come in, food goes out at local food pantries

At the same time, Paulsen said, new people have been asking for help all fall. The pantry can only donate food to Newtown residents in need, but the need is growing.

"We're seeing one or two new families a week," she said. "We're seeing people who have lost their homes in foreclosures. It's unbelievable."

At other area food pantries, the same pattern seems to be in play. As the holidays approach, the people who can donate are finding ways to give more. At the same time, the demand for that help is growing fast.

"It's going to be close," Capt. Todd Hughes, commander of The Salvation Army in Danbury, said Monday about the work of filling all the request for Thanksgiving meals this week.

Hughes said The Salvation Army normally prepares about 200 food baskets for Thanksgiving. St. James Episcopal Church in Danbury and the Community Action Committee of Danbury do the same, Hughes said.

http://www.newstimes.com/ci_11064840

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Bishop of Conn. Says No to Gay Marriage

From a web site called The Edge out of Boston An interesting quote is included from Bishop Smith.

And though some Episcopalian churches and clergy have celebrated same-sex unions, the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut cannot take the step of pronouncing two men or two woman as married, according to Bishop Andrew Smith, who was cited in the article as saying that the faith’s Book of Common Prayer views marriage as "a solemn and public covenant between a man and a woman in the presence of God." Said Smith, "For us to change that practice in terms of having clergy officiate at gay or lesbian marriages, we have to change the prayer book."

That is something that can only be done at the national level, through two conventions.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=81858