Following on from this development, it is now announced that the “expressed threat of deposition of the Diocesan Bishop at a September meeting of the House of Bishops” is the justification for changing the date of the diocesan convention.
9th June, A.D. 2008
St. Columba’s DayTO ALL CLERGY AND LAY DEPUTIES TO THE 143RD ANNUAL CONVENTION:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,After extensive consultation, and with the consent of the Standing Committee, I am moving the time and place of the 143rd Annual Convention of the Diocese to Saturday, October 4th, 2008, at St. Martin’s Church, Monroeville.
Registration of clerical and lay deputies will be from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. The Convention Eucharist will begin at 8:30 a.m. The business session of Convention will begin immediately following the Eucharist. Lunch will be served at midday. It is anticipated that all matters required to come before the Annual Convention will be complete during the afternoon, with adjournment at the completion of said business.
The date and place of the Annual Convention having been previously set, I am announcing this change under the provisions of Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution of the Diocese. The expressed threat of deposition of the Diocesan Bishop at a September meeting of the House of Bishops is the “sufficient cause.”
The election and certification of all lay deputies is required by June 30th.
Pre-Convention materials will be distributed as required by the Rules of Order. Pre-Convention Hearings will be scheduled in three regions of the Diocese, with dates already set as:
Sunday, September 21, 3 p.m. at Christ Church, Greensburg
Wednesday September 24, 7 p.m. at St. Martin’s, Monroeville
Monday, September 29, 7 p.m., St. Stephen’s, SewickleyThe original convention dates for 7-8 November are being held for a “Consultation on Moving Forward in Mission.” This will be an important first opportunity for shaping our corporate life as we move beyond October’s realignment vote.
Please keep every aspect of this momentous Convention in your prayers.
Faithfully in Christ,
+Bob Pittsburgh
One supposes that even realignment bishops sometimes have to admit the obvious – visible to the rest of us even while they demurr and deny what is being done, when, and for what reasons of realignment. One hopes PEP and others remaining Episcopal will be able to be guided in their gathering efforts by the dissenting realignment timelines. Not to mention the usefulness of such time lines for timing any court cases which need to be prepared and filed in a timely manner? Tis the Episcopal Church family silver after all, not the conservative realignment silver, upon which sometimes hands… Read more »
In his letter the Bishop of Pittsburgh appears to presume that the voting at the Diocesan Convention will be for ‘realignment’. Has the activity of the Holy Spirit been so clearly vouchsafed to him and the Diocesan Standing Committee that they can state the future so confidently?
OK, I must be thick. What is the advantage he’s seeking? Is it just to move the date as close as possible to the deposition so he can pull the spotlight away from his own abandonment of communion? I don’t get it. Can anyone enlighten me?
OK, I may have answered my own question. Checking frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com, it seems part of the idea is if the bishop is deposed, the standing committee is ready to swoop in and carry out the “realignment” vote at convention. The shorter the time, the more effective their action; the longer the wait, apparently, the more chance the convention may think twice.
To Puzzled – aarrgghh matey -The fix is in for now but they are nervous the swabbies will jump ship if the Cap’n be gone for long –(courtesy of “National Talk Like A Pirate Week” – after all they are pirates, aren’tthey?)
Thank you ettu! Yes! Pirate talk!