Meeting Wednesday in Bluffton on SC Episcopalian split
Six years ago, coastal South Carolina’s Episcopal diocese suffered a heartbreaking schism. One group disassociated from the Episcopal Church but stayed in the churches; others continued in the Episcopal communion but lost their church homes.
Last month, a regrettable lawsuit was finally settled with the courts ruling that 29 churches held by disassociated congregations must be returned to the Episcopal Church. Now people in those parishes face the difficult decision many Episcopalians faced six years ago about whether to leave their church home.
From the earliest days of a diocese in ruins, bishops leading the continuing Episcopalians used one word of hope regarding those in disassociated churches: reconciliation. Episcopalians throughout the diocese and around the world embraced that prayer.
Now Bishop Skip Adams, along with other Episcopal clergy and lay leaders, invite everyone interested to an open dialogue where concerns of those affected by the court ruling will be heard, questions will be answered, and Episcopalians will share information about the life and ministry of the diocese.
Episcopalians believe that generations of families and friends on both sides of this divide have far more in common than they have differences. Those confronted now with an unfortunate dilemma have an opportunity at this open conversation to explore how they can live in unity, not uniformity, in the Episcopal Church.
All are invited to this discussion on Wednesday, July 18, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Rotary Community Center, 7 Recreation Court, Bluffton.
Nancy Gault
Okatie
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