12/08/2008

More Episcopal Parishes in Pittsburgh affirm continuing common life in TEC

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh, you know, the one that is a diocese of The Episcopal Church, is alive, and better and better.  The website states that  
"More parishes have publicly affirmed their active participation in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church of the United States. 
Recent actions by Christ Church in Indiana; St. Peter’s, Blairsville; and St. Paul’s, Kittanning, bring to 22 the number of participating parishes.  Additional parishes are expected to announce their decision to remain active participants in the life of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. 
Sheldon Calvary Camp and Old St. Luke’s have also recently restated their affiliation with the Diocese and The Episcopal Church."
The whole list is as follows:
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Blairsville PA 15717
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church
Brackenridge, PA 15014
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh, PA 15227-3499
 
All Saints’ Church
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church
Canonsburg, PA
Church of the Nativity
Pittsburgh PA 15205 
Calvary Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh PA 15206 
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh, PA 15206-1615 
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Homestead PA 15120-1613
Church of the Holy Cross
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 
Christ Episcopal Church
Indiana PA 15701-3912
Church of the Advent
Jeannette, PA 15644
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Kittanning, PA 16201
St. Michael’s of the Valley Episcopal Church
Ligonier, PA 15658-0336
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228
Christ Episcopal Church
Pittsburgh, PA 15237-2548 
All Souls Episcopal Church
North Versailles, PA 15137  
St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church
 Scottdale, PA 15683-1940   
Somerset, PA 15501  
Church of the Redeemer
Pittsburgh, PA 15217 
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Wilkinsburg, PA 15221

The website for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Province of the Southern Cone, now part of the new entity called the Anglican Church in North America, lists 74 parishes.  Thirty percent of the parishes are continuing as part of The Episcopal Church, with more to come.
This is good news indeed for the viability and strength of The Episcopal Church Diocese of Pittsburgh. The Episcopal Church Diocese of Pittsburgh has an outstanding site, worth the visit. Also visit Three Rivers Episcopal, a site with many good postings on things Episcopal and Anglican and wonderful good humor informed by Dr. Suss. 3RE is hosted by The Rev. Dr. James Simons, whose ministry in Pittsburgh has become a model for many of us of faithful engagement with issues of faith and the times.

14 comments:

  1. Good for the Real Diocese of Pittsburgh, and may their parishes grow as people realize that the shroud of darkness has been lifted.

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  2. This is good news for those of us who want to see reconciliation and reformation from within. Let's hope that GC '09 doesn't change their minds.

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  3. Well, it is interesting, indeed. It's too bad he is too delusional to realize that a huge portion of "his" imaginary diocese thinks he is *not* the new Luther his psychosis tells him he is.

    It is true, this is stranger than fiction. Even Scientology can't write stuff this good.

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  4. BRAVO REAL EPISCOPALIAN/ANGLICANS!

    It´s true, you are loved, wanted and EVERYONE is WELCOME at The Body of Christ!

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  5. Ah, but fellow pontificators, let's remember a couple of things:

    1. A vacuum takes place that allows such leadership as Bishop Duncan. It's a problem which still remains for TEC. TEC is unable to get deep commitments and ongoing responses from the majority of its members. There is widespread dissatisfaction with the preaching, teaching, and direction of TEC. It's just not going to go away by hurling mudpies at those who...have left...and those who want to stay and fix it. Showing the door to the critics leaves only an impetous and childish type behind to play with no one.
    2. The only answer thus far from 815, et al, seems to be to pull the ropes tighter and legislate respect and loyalty. That will certainly "weed out" the Ikers and Duncans, but others are now looking twice (and more) at this gasping type of "reconciliation".

    Where are those who can truly fill the vacuums that so many absentees are telling us exists? Hasn't that giant sucking sound gotten anyone's attention yet?

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  6. Allen,

    That vacuum sound? Here's what faithful but unchurched people tell me in the D.C. area: that they don't want to sit in the pews with people who 1) don't get that Jesus is only one-third of the Trinity; and/or 2) are hypocrites that don't lead particularly good lives from Monday to Saturday; and/or 2) are sour about how the world, and mainline Protestantism, have changed. It takes some guts to admit being "Christian" when you are someone of quiet faith. .

    Stop looking at the vacuum cleaner. Open up the canister, and fish these people out, help them brush off the dust. It takes some time and patience. They're not going to come to church with you that first time if all they hear are complaints.

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  7. I liked Lynn's response, but Allen has a point (albeit from a much different perspective than mine).

    Nonsense like the "hardshell Baptist in Anglican drag" stuff in the AAC/ACN dioceses does arise, somewhat, out of a lack of leadership & commitment from regular old broad church Episcopalians.

    If we neglect broad, intellectually honest, thoughtful, liberal Christianity then we deserve a Duncan / Iker / Stanton sort of leadership.

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  8. Lynn,

    The "vacuum" is really the complete collapse of accountability in this Church. Bishop Bruno and Integrity-oriented priests have changed the doctrine of this Church concerning marriage. Their teaching is not in sync with the 1979 Prayer Book definition of marriage. Forget that they also ignore the canons on Communion for only the baptized. What's the point of GC '09? Save thousands of dollars. Stay home. Apparently every bishop does what is right in their own eyes. (Vows, anybody??)

    There IS a vacuum of clear teaching and it has gotten worse in the past five years. That the majority of our enrolled members no longer want this Church as currently manifested is evidence of that tragic fact. No one is replacing them. I'm looking for the answer that no one wants to admit to yet.

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  9. “Hasn't that giant sucking sound gotten anyone's attention yet?”

    Um, *what* “giant” sucking sound???

    Even by the most charitable calculations, perhaps 5-7% of the Episcopal Church has “realigned” or will wind up doing so.

    That leaves 93-95% of the membership in place.

    “Giant” sucking sound???

    Um, hyperbolic much? That’s not a giant sucking sound, and certainly not a bang – merely a whimper. Unfortunate, but more of a “shedding” than a “split,” and nothing “giant” about it.

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  10. David - I can't argue with your point, but I think we all know better now. I say look forward, God is talking to us: and He is saying the only thing you get to take with you from the past is lessons learned and love remembered.

    Allen - there are many more important moral issues than gay marriage: I give you the ten commandments for starters. I pray that you will look around and seize all the wonderful opportunities we have to spread the Good News, the real message of Christ.

    I see no lack of morality in the lives of my fellow parishioners, and I rarely know the sexual orientation of the people I work with in local outreach or sit with in the pews. The sacrament of marriage is between the two parties involved - and I haven't been wound up about homosexuality since I first worked with Ls,Gs,Bs and Ts in my teenage years. I'm 51 so that's quite a while now. Reading the writings of people like Tobias Haller told me why I always felt this way, that God has the problem with the selfishness of promiscuity - not the "sexual orientation" of a loving couple.

    If we are lacking in "moral authority" about the LGBT community, we are in good company with the Evangelical Lutherans, the United Methodists and the Presbyterian Church (USA). There's no place to hide with the Roman and Eastern churches, either, I have known plenty of partnered LGBTs in those traditions, too.

    Allen, I returned to the Episcopal Church after Bishop Robinson was ordained. It's beginning to seem more like the church of my childhood, not the dirge of my young adult years. You are missing something important. Wake up, it's not about gay marriage. It's about living the life of the Gospel, and Jesus didn't have much to say about gay marriage stuff, did he. Love God, love your neighbors. There's no bitterness in that, trust me.

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  11. Hasn't that giant sucking sound gotten anyone's attention yet?

    Yes, Allen, we've heard you, already.

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  12. In an attempt to bring this thread back to the topic, the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh is holding their reorganizing convention this weekend.

    It's an exciting time as we work to undo so many years of division. We are currently counting on about 40% of the previous parishes to participate in this glorious event along with many special guests including Bishops and representatives from surrounding diocese throughout our region.

    Please keep us in your prayers. Much work lies ahead.

    Andy Muhl
    Dio. of Pittsburgh volunteer web admin
    (Mark+, many thanks for your encouraging comments)

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  13. So, will this be one of TECUSA's larger dioceses?

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  14. Well Observer, we can't speak about size until all of the dust settles other than to say we are right now 2 to 3 times larger than Quincy before their split. We will be a very healthy and spiritually alive diocese.

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