wfn.org | [ENS] Venezuela admitted as diocese of Episcopal Church

["Mika Larson" <mini_mika@earthlink.net>]

August 5, 2003

Venezuela admitted as diocese of Episcopal Church

by James Thrall
 
[ENS] With a unanimous voice vote, deputies admitted the Diocese of
Venezuela into the Episcopal Church Tuesday morning (A142). 
Because the diocese still must take several steps to fulfill the
requirements of full membership, including conforming its constitution
and canons with the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church, the
diocese was not permitted to seat a deputation immediately, as Puerto
Rico did when it was admitted. But Venezuela did seat one deputy who has
seat and voice and will return with a full deputation at the next
General Convention.

"Thank you for admitting us into the plenary," said Francisco Salazar,
Venezuela's deputy, speaking through a translator. The Diocese of
Venezuela was a chaplaincy of the British from 1834 until 1982" before
coming an extraprovincial diocese to Province IX, he said.

In recent years, "the youth ministry of the diocese has flourished and
really taken off," he said. "To be part of the body of Christ will help
us to accomplish our mission in a better way and feel that we are part
of the larger community." 

Channing Horner of West Missouri, a companion diocese of Venezuela,
confirmed that on a recent visit, "We saw a vital diocese with a
specially vigorous youth work."

Like Puerto Rico, Venezuela will be included in Province IX.