Overland Park Kansas Parish Votes To Split From Episcopal Diocese

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OP Parish Votes To Split From Episcopal Diocese

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/...69/detail.html


Church Members Point To Differences Over Interpretation Of Biblical, Historic Christianity

POSTED: 10:08 am CDT April 18, 2005
UPDATED: 11:17 am CDT April 18, 2005

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Members of the Christ Episcopal Church in Overland Park voted overwhelmingly Sunday to separate from the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas and the Episcopal denomination.



Church members in good standing who are 16 years old or over voted 873 to 211 to separate because of differences over interpretation of biblical and historic Christianity.

The Rev. Ron McCrary, rector of the 2,200-member church, said no matter how people voted, "we welcome whoever wants to remain with Christ Church."

"This is a sad and difficult time for the Diocese of Kansas because we are losing an important part of the body," said the Right Rev. Dean E. Wolfe, the Episcopal bishop of Kansas.

McCrary said he and Wolfe would help anyone who wanted to find a new church.

Diocese lawyers said the agreement probably will be final by the end of the month. After that, McCrary will not be allowed to function as an Episcopal priest.

Parish leaders say they have had longstanding differences with the national Episcopal church on matters of theology, the interpretation of scripture and the doctrines and disciplines of the church.


The differences culminated when the church's 2003 General Convention confirmed the election of an openly gay bishop.

After that vote, the Overland Park church decided to withhold most of its financial commitment to the diocese.

McCrary said earlier that the parish will seek to join another diocese or province within the worldwide Anglican Communion.

"There are 38 provinces in the worldwide Anglican Communion," he said. "The U.S. church is one province. There are 77 million Anglicans in the world and only 2.3 million in the U.S. with whom we will be out of communion."

Under the agreement, the new entity, which will be known as Christ Church Anglican, will assume the current parish's debt of $1.7 million and pay the diocese $1 million over the next 10 years.

"I am deeply disappointed and sad," said Terry Hoyland of Prairie Village, an organizer of Christ Episcopal Church Parishioners for Unity.


"I think the proposed agreement needed to have been delayed until members of the parish had a chance to really ponder this over a period of time."

Laura Ericson of Kansas City, a church leader, said that while it is heartbreaking to see people in pain, she feels "we've made the highest decision. ...


Even though this was a difficult decision, we chose to stick to our core values and traditional Anglican faith."