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Diocese of San Joaquin Votes to Leave the Episcopal Church

Abstract: Diocese will affiliate with Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.

At its annual convention the Diocese of San Joaquin voted to disassociate from The Episcopal Church and accepted an invitation from Archbishop Gregory Venables to affiliate with the Province of the Southern Cone of South America. The results, by orders were: 70-12 clergy and 103-10 vote in the lay order to effectively remove all references to the Episcopal Church from its constitution and describe the diocese as "a constituent member of the Anglican Communion and in full communion with the See of Canterbury." The vote reaffirmed a first vote at the December 2, 2006 convention in which a more than two-thirds majority voted in favor of the constitutional amendments.
Bishop Frank Lyons of Bolivia read a statement from Archbishop Gregory Venables, "Welcome Home. And welcome back into full fellowship in the Anglican Communion."
(To the best of our knowledge, the Anglican Communion has not disfellowshipped the Episcopal Church.)
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori commented:
"The Episcopal Church receives with sadness the news that some members of this church have made a decision to leave this church. We deeply regret their unwillingness or inability to live within the historical Anglican understanding of comprehensiveness. We wish them to know of our prayers for them and their journey. The Episcopal Church will continue in the Diocese of San Joaquin, albeit with new leadership."
The central California-based diocese represents about 8,500 Episcopalians in 47 congregations, at least five of whom San Joaquin Bishop John-David Schofield predicted will opt to remain with the Episcopal Church.

(Vol. II, vii December 14, 2007 )

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