The diocesan news release said that on July 17 the rector, wardens and vestry of St. John’s “abandoned the offices to which they were elected as well as the Episcopal Church when they violated the canons of the church†by affiliating with the Anglican Diocese of Luweero in Uganda.
“By definition, parishioners and clergy who remove themselves from the Episcopal Church relinquish their rights of governance within the church’s structure,†the release said.
San Diego Bishop James R. Mathes appointed the Rev. Wayne Sanders as priest-in-charge of St. John’s. The parish held a special meeting and elected replacement wardens and vestry.
I’ve met Bishop Mathes, back when he was Canon Mathes of the Diocese of Chicago. Nice man, does a lot of meetings, attempts to discern arriving at agreement through discussion. Uses a lot of flip charts.
When all else fails, will fall back on legal solutions, but will continue to hope for reconciliation by attempting to keep lines of communication open (against all odds).
