wfn.org | [ELD] House of Bishops votes to depose Pittsburgh bishop for 'abandoning Communion'

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

>Episcopal Life Daily
>September 18, 2008

Episcopal Life Online is available at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife.

>Today's Episcopal Life Daily includes:

* TOP STORY - House of Bishops votes to depose Pittsburgh bishop for
'abandoning Communion'
* TOP STORY - CPG: Pension benefits, church insurance are secure
* TOP STORY - House of Bishops begins special session in Salt Lake
City with Lambeth review
* DIOCESAN DIGEST - Province II to sponsor Lambeth Reflections event
* PEOPLE - Fond du Lac names Barry Whenal as honorary canon
* MULTIMEDIA - Video: Presiding Bishop preaches at Christ Church Episcopal
* MULTIMEDIA - Video: Reflections from Province 8 synod
* FEATURE - Since You Asked: Why do some Episcopal Church parishes say
only people who are baptized may receive Holy Communion but others say
anyone may?
* DAYBOOK - September 19, 2008: Today in Scripture, Prayer, History
* CATALYST - The Plot to Save the Planet

>_____________________

>TOP STORIES

House of Bishops votes to depose Pittsburgh bishop for 'abandoning
Communion'
Vote is nearly two to one against Duncan

>By Pat McCaughan

[Episcopal News Service] [Salt Lake City] After nearly two days of
prayerful and solemn closed-door sessions, the House of Bishops on
September 18 voted by a two to one majority to depose Bishop Robert
Duncan of Pittsburgh. The vote authorizes Presiding Bishop Katharine
Jefferts Schori to remove Duncan from ordained ministry.

The vote total was 88 to 35 in favor of deposing Duncan, according to
Episcopal Church spokeswoman Neva Rae Fox. There were four
abstentions.

"The House of Bishops worked carefully and prayerfully to consider the
weighty matter of Bishop Duncan. The conversation was holy,
acknowledging the pain of our deliberations as well as the gratitude
many have felt over the years for their relationships with, and the
ministry of, Robert Duncan," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts
Schori said in a statement after the meeting.

"The House concluded, however, that his actions over recent months and
years constitute 'abandonment of the communion of this church' and
that he should be deposed. Concern was expressed for the people of the
Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh in the face of leadership which has
sought to remove itself from The Episcopal Church.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100894_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - - -

CPG: Pension benefits, church insurance are secure

>By Mary Frances Schjonberg

[Episcopal News Service] In light of recent volatility in financial
markets, the Episcopal Church Pension Group (http://www.cpg.org)
September 18 posted statements on its websites saying that its various
funds and church insurance business are secure.

CPG's home page features a short statement pertaining to the Clergy
Pension Plan, (http://www.cpg.org/productsservices/clergypensionplan.cfm)
saying that "despite recent market volatility, the Fund's financial
condition remains very strong, with assets well in excess of
liabilities."

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100892_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

House of Bishops begins special session in Salt Lake City with Lambeth
review

[Episcopal News Service] As the House of Bishops of the Episcopal
Church meets this week in Salt Lake City, Utah, a team of bishops will
report each day on the proceedings, which are closed to press and
public. The first report, filed on September 17, follows:

The Bishops of the Episcopal Church gathered in Salt Lake City, Utah,
for a special session of the meeting of the House of Bishops.

Present were 128 bishops. Not present were 15 who could not attend for
a variety of reasons, including the bishops of Texas who are dealing
with the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Nine did not respond and were not
present.

Following morning worship, the bishops met in small table groups to
debrief the recent Lambeth Conference.  The bishops were presented
with two questions for discussion: "What were we most grateful for;
and what were we least grateful for?" The afternoon plenary focused on
what lies ahead.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_100866_ENG_HTM.htm

More Top Stories: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/elife

>_____________________

>DIOCESAN DIGEST

Province II to sponsor Lambeth Reflections event
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_100883_ENG_HTM.htm

More Diocesan news: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81803_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>PEOPLE

Fond du Lac names Barry Whenal as honorary canon

[Diocese of Fond du Lac] The Rev. Barry Whenal was installed as an
honorary canon of the Diocese of Fond du Lac during its 49th annual
Eucharistic Festival at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul the Apostle
in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, on September 16.

Whenal, a retired priest of the diocese, was nominated by Bishop
Russell E. Jacobus, and confirmed in his new position by the cathedral
chapter.

The title of canon was historically given to clergy on the staff of a
cathedral. It is still used as a working title for persons serving a
diocese, its bishop, or cathedral, and also as an honorary title in
recognition of service to the Church. The honorary canon is also
assigned a special seat in the choir area of the Cathedral.

Full story: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_100756_ENG_HTM.htm

More People: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81831_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>MULTIMEDIA

Multimedia files available at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/89878_97371_ENG_HTM.htm

>- - - - -

Video: Presiding Bishop preaches at Christ Church Episcopal

[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
preaches at Christ Church Episcopal in Savannah, Georgia.

>- - - - -

>Video: Reflections from Province 8 synod

[Episcopal News Service] President of the House of Deputies, Bonnie
Anderson and Executive Officer and Secretary of General Convention,
the Rev. Dr. Gregory Straub speak about the recently concluded
Province 8 synod meeting and the use of public narrative.

More Multimedia: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/80056_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>FEATURES

Since You Asked: Why do some Episcopal Church parishes say only people
who are baptized may receive Holy Communion but others say anyone may?

[Episcopal Life] The Rev. Clayton Morris, Episcopal Church program
officer for liturgical and spiritual resources, responds.

>- - - - -

The Episcopal Church's canons are clear: "No unbaptized person shall
be eligible to receive Holy Communion in this Church" (Canon I, 17.7
Constitution and Canons, page 55).

Yet, increasingly, one sees printed in service leaflets for the Sunday
celebration of the Eucharist invitations for everyone present to
receive the sacrament. How can it be?

Those who promote an open invitation to Communion usually cite the
ministry of Jesus as their rationale. Jesus, they say, was executed
for his unwillingness to exclude people from the table. If Jesus
exercised a ministry of radical hospitality, how can we rationalize a
ministry of exclusion?

Full article: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81834_100867_ENG_HTM.htm

More Features: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78936_ENG_HTM.htm

>_____________________

>DAYBOOK

On September 19, 2008, the Church calendar remembers Theodore of
Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury (668-690) and Ember Day.

* Today in Scripture: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/82457_ENG_HTM.htm

* Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer:

http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm

* Today in History: On September 19, 1981, Armando Roman Guerra was
elected bishop of Guatemala.

>_____________________

>CATALYST

"The Plot to Save the Planet" from Random House, Inc., by Brian
Dumaine, 299 pages, hardcover, c. 2008, $25.95

[Random House, Inc.] The Plot to Save the Planet is an illuminating
and inspiring look at the "conspiracy" to make green technology the
Silicon Valley of the 21st century -- the creator of massive numbers
of jobs and huge amounts of wealth. Suddenly, the ugly mudslinging
between environmentalists and big business has abated, and these two
previously opposed forces are now strange bedfellows in a race to head
off climate change.

How is this new frontier being shaped? Brian Dumaine is your guide in
this intriguing look into the very near future filled with colorful
and informative stories about the entrepreneurs, investors, and
corporate mavericks who are managing to pull off the feat of combining
economic growth and environmental protection to battle global warming.
You'll read about:

. The savvy investors: Why Warren Buffett is investing heavily in wind
power; and why John Doerr, the venture capitalist and early backer of
Google, is saying that "green tech is bigger than the Internet and
could be the biggest economic opportunity of the twenty-first
century."

. The cars of the future: The competitively priced plug-in hybrids
that will get 60 miles to the gallon, and the battle being waged by
fifteen start-ups competing to capture the electric car market.

. The fuels without fossils: New sources of energy from plants such as
prairie grass and algae that could capture a big chunk of the $300
billion U.S. wholesale gasoline market.

. The corporate mavericks: Companies such as Duke Energy and GE who
are creating the low-carbon business models of the future, as well as
cleaner ways to provide our power needs.

. The energy-miser homes and buildings: The new Bank of America Tower
in New York City and the green low- and middle-income homes being
constructed by visionaries who were told it couldn't be done and still
be affordable.

. The "thin film" solar energy: How it is making the cost of heating a
home comparable to traditional methods without emitting greenhouse
gas.

Plenty of obstacles still exist -- among them resistance from the rich
and powerful owners of the world's oil supply, developing nations such
as China with their reliance on coal, and an American public reluctant
to give up their McMansions, SUVs, and extreme air-conditioning. But
the battle cry has been sounded. The green overhaul of the utility,
energy, construction, shipping, and automobile industries is well on
its way and -- contrary to prevailing fears -- the ultimate solutions
will sustain the environment without demanding huge sacrifices to our
contemporary comforts and lifestyles.

To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at
http://www.episcopalbookstore.org, or call 800-903-5544 -- or visit
your local Episcopal bookseller, http://www.episcopalbooksellers.org

More Catalyst: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/83842_ENG_HTM.htm