wfn.org | Task force encounters objections over attempt to meet with groups

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March 18, 2002

2002-061

Task force encounters objections over attempt to meet with groups in Diocese of Fort Worth

by Nancy Jenkins

     (ENS) Three representatives from a task force appointed by the Executive Council 
visited the Diocese of Fort Worth on March 6, part of a process inaugurated at the 2000 
General Convention to work with the three dioceses that do not ordain women to the 
priesthood-and the reception was not much better than it was at a previous visit in 
October. 

     Bishop Peter James Lee of Virginia, co-chair of the nine-member task force, the Rev. 
David Chee of Los Angeles, and Sarah Harte of New York arranged a meeting at Trinity Church 
in Fort Worth with three groups of people-a lay person and priest from each of the 
deaneries of the diocese from a list provided by Bishop Jack Iker; 15 lay persons and 
clergy, some of whom had e-mailed the team and asked to express a variety of views; and a 
group that included the three female priests from Fort Worth who had been ordained in the 
neighboring Diocese of Dallas under an agreement between the two dioceses. 

     Iker said in a letter to the diocese that the meeting was scheduled "with no prior 
consultation whatsoever with me concerning the time, date or place" and that he was not 
provided with a list of participants. "When I wrote to state my objections to the presiding 
bishop and Bishop Peter Lee, chairman of the task force, I was told that I was not invited 
to this meeting and that it would go on as planned," Iker said. 

     Iker charged that "these tactics are contrary to the spirit of courtesy and respect 
which are supposed to govern the way this task force is to operate" and that "we should be 
speaking openly and honestly to one another, in truth and love, not behind closed doors in 
secretive meetings." In addition to his objections, Iker said that the Standing Committee 
has also written to Lee and Presiding Bishop Frank T. Griswold to "demand that these 
uninvited, rude and disruptive proceedings be brought to a prompt halt." 

     Lee says that he wrote to Iker on February 5, and informed him of the plans for the 
visit, explaining that the meetings would be closed to the press and to the public in order 
for the team to do its work. Iker and the diocesan Standing Committee protested the plans 
and demanded that the team meet only with Iker, the Standing Committee and the diocesan 
executive council. Lee responded by repeating the team's conviction that it needed to meet 
with diverse people in the diocese in a context that encouraged free expression of opinion. 
"I offered for the team to return to Fort Worth for a third meeting with the groups cited 
by the Standing Committee but that offer has not been accepted," said Lee. 

     When the team arrived at Trinity Church they learned from its rector, the Rev. Fred 
Barker, that he had received a pastoral direction from Iker, ordering him to include 
members of the Standing Committee at all meetings throughout the day. Lee said that the 
team conceded rather than place the rector in a difficult position. 

     During the meetings the team learned that Standing Committee members were tape-
recording the conversations, without informing those present or seeking their consent. 

Resolution A045 links: 

General Convention 2000 - Resolution A045 (Final) 

The General Convention Executive Council Task Force on A045 

ENS stories: 

July 13, 2000: Deputies affirm women's ordination mandatory for all 

July 16, 2000: Bishops approve plan for monitoring women's ordination 

July 19, 2000: Convention approves continued monitoring of women's ordination 

February 9, 2001: Executive Council approves "visitors" to dioceses not ordaining 
women 

May 22, 2001: Communiquh from May 15th meeting with the Presiding Bishop 

June 15, 2001: Caucus defends sending women priests to resistant dioceses 

February 25, 2002: Executive Council task force visits three dioceses that do not 
ordain women priests 

March 6, 2002: Bishop of Ft. Worth objects to report of task force visit 

--Nancy Jenkins is director of communications for the Diocese of Virginia.