wfn.org | [ENS] Diocesan Digest

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Episcopal News Service: Diocesan Digest

[Editor's note: The Episcopal News Service begins a new weekly digest of
news and information from dioceses and congregations throughout the
Episcopal Church.]

CALIFORNIA -- Schwarzenegger overturns parole for Episcopal deacon
KANSAS -- Diocese, parish announce separation agreement
MINNESOTA -- ERD helps families after tragedy in Red Lake, Minnesota
NEW YORK -- Staten Island church creates cemetery for 'All God's
Creatures'
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA -- Bishop Carol Gallagher announces resignation as
Suffragan
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA -- Standing Committee to consider election date for
coadjutor

DIOCESE OF CALIFORNIA -- Schwarzenegger overturns parole for Episcopal
deacon

James Tramel, an incarcerated man who was ordained an Episcopal deacon
while
in prison, was due to be released last week until California Governor
Arnold
Schwarzenegger reversed the decision despite recommendations from the
state's parole board. Bishop William Swing of California, who had
planned to
celebrate Easter services with Tramel, criticized the decision during
his
Easter Day sermon saying that "Governors of California are 90-pound
moral
weaklings when it comes to restoration of human beings..."
	According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Tramel was 17 years old
when he and a classmate, David Kurtzman, retaliated after a group of
Tramel's friends were provoked by local gang members. Trial transcripts
reveal that Kurtzman attacked a sleeping homeless man, 29-year-old
Michael
Stephenson, in downtown Alameda Park, stabbing him to death as Tramel
watched and did nothing. Tramel was found to be the ringleader and
sentenced
to 15 years to life for second-degree murder.
	Tramel was scheduled to be ordained as a priest at Grace Cathedral,
San Francisco, in June 2005.

A full story from the Diocese of California will be available April 1
at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_19507_ENG_HTM.htm

The text of Bishops Swing's sermon can be found online at:
http://diocal.org/article.php?sid=398&mode=thread&order=0

DIOCESE OF KANSAS -- Diocese and parish announce separation agreement

The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas and the rector and vestry of Christ
Church
of Overland Park, Kansas, have jointly announced a proposed agreement
for
the separation of Christ Church from the diocese and the national
Episcopal
Church.
	The Council of Trustees of the diocese approved the proposed
agreement March 1. The vestry (governing board) of the parish voted Feb.
28
to recommend approval of the agreement to the parish; members of the
parish
will vote on whether to accept the agreement on April 3, April 10 and
April
17.

Full details: http://www.episcopal-ks.org/news/index.html

DIOCESE OF MINNESOTA -- ERD helps families after tragedy at Red Lake
reservation

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is helping families on the Red
Lake
Indian Reservation in Minnesota where a high school student killed nine
people and took his own life March 21.
	"Our native clergy have been very involved in their ministries of
presence and counseling," said Karen Olsen of the diocesan staff. "We
were
told that seven Episcopal clergy were the only clergy present at the
first
community gathering on Wednesday morning at Red Lake Elementary School.
Bishop Michael G. Smith of North Dakota reported that there is an
amazing
sense of forgiveness for the young man who was driven to this extreme
brink
-- "grace in the midst of tragedy coinciding with our Holy Week path."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_60540_ENG_HTM.htm

A report from the Diocese of Minnesota can be found online at:
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_60371_ENG_HTM.htm

DIOCESE OF NEW YORK -- Staten Island church to consecrate cemetery for
'All
God's Creatures'

Continuing in the Episcopal tradition of honoring all of God's
creatures,
the Church of St. Andrew on Staten Island will consecrate a special
cemetery
for pets Friday, April 8. The Cemetery for All God's Creatures will be
consecrated at 11 a.m., followed by the interment of various pets. The
Cemetery is located on the grounds of the church, near the shrine of St.
Francis. The Church of St. Andrew is located in the Richmondtown section
of
Staten Island at 40 Old Mill Road.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/3577_60329_ENG_HTM.htm

DIOCESE OF SOUTHERN VIRGINIA -- Bishop Carol Gallagher announces
resignation
as Suffragan

In a March 21 statement, the Rt. Rev. Carol Gallagher announced her
decision
to resign from ministry as bishop suffragan in the Diocese of Southern
Virginia.
	"After months of careful and prayerful deliberation, I have decided
to resign as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Southern Virginia,
effective
immediately," said Bishop Suffragan Carol Gallagher of Southern
Virginia. "I
have been so blessed to serve a diocese of faithful and loving Christian
people. I am so grateful for the many ways in which my life has been
blessed
and enriched over the past few years and I am truly thankful for my time
in
this diocese. Over the past months, I have faithfully engaged in an
ongoing
process of discernment. I have chosen to take this painful step for many
reasons, personal and professional. The principal reason is a practical
concern for the diocese: I realize that the process begun at Diocesan
Council can most effectively focus on issues that need to be resolved
without the complicating presence of a Suffragan. I have thus come to
understand that my stepping aside will truly hasten the healing that
this
diocese so desperately needs."

Full story:
http://www.southernvirginia.anglican.org/cross/mar05/abresig.htm#report

DIOCESE OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA -- Standing Committee to consider election
date
for coadjutor

The election of a bishop coadjutor in Southwest Florida will likely be
delayed for several months, following the House of Bishops' decision to
withhold approval of any new bishops for the next 15 months.
	The Standing Committee, which is responsible for the election
process, is scheduled to meet April 19 to discuss the matter.

Full story: http://www.dioceseswfla.org/ezine/electiondelay.htm

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