Episcopals to reorganize, appoint new bishop

The San Joaquin Episcopal Diocese will conduct what its leaders consider a historic convention to appoint a new bishop, reorganize as a diocese and begin the healing process of a divisive split within the diocese.

The convention, to be held next weekend in Lodi, will consist of the 18 of parishes and missions that chose to remain in the diocese, which extends from Lodi to Bakersfield and east to the Nevada state line.There were 47 parishes and missions in the diocese until a majority of delegates, through the leadership of Bishop John-David Schofield, voted to leave Episcopal Church USA for the more socially conservative-leaning Southern Cone of the Anglican Church, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Episcopal Church is the Anglican body in the United States.

Schofield led more than half the diocese out of the American Episcopal Church in December because of his opposition to the consecration in 2003 of V. Eugene Robinson, an openly gay priest, as bishop of New Hampshire.

Schofield, who maintains that homosexuality is a sin, says the Episcopal Church violated Scripture by consecrating Robinson.

Therefore, there are now two organizations that call themselves the San Joaquin Diocese. Schofield leads one that is based in Fresno, while the remaining Episcopal diocese will be based in Stockton.

In Lodi, leaders at St. John's Episcopal Church have taken a stand to remain in the American church and not follow Schofield.

Galt is not affected by the controversy turning the Episcopal Church upside down because it is in the neighboring Northern California Diocese, which didn't see the Robinson consecration as controversial.

The diocese remaining in Episcopal Church USA will reorganize on March 29 during an all-day session at St. John's Episcopal Church in Lodi. The day will begin with a business meeting, followed by an afternoon Eucharist and seating of a provisional bishop, who is expected to be Jerry Lamb.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, the leading Episcopal bishop in the United States, recommends that the newly appointed San Joaquin Diocese delegates appoint Lamb as provisional bishop. Lamb was a popular bishop in the Northern California Diocese until his retirement in January 2007.

Delegates will vote on Lamb's appointment at the March 29 convention in Lodi. He will serve until the diocese chooses a permanent bishop.

The Lodi convention will attract a virtual who's who in the Episcopal Church. Jefferts Schori will be there, along with Bonnie Anderson, president of the House of Deputies, which is the church's equivalent to Congress' speaker of the house.

Lamb will be present, along with Michael Glass, a San Rafael attorney who has been retained by St. John's and other parishes in legal and financial matters.

Rev. Mark Hall of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Stockton, said that Lamb has asked him to be his assistant after Lamb is appointed provisional bishop at the convention.

"I'm taking a leave of absence from St. Anne's until this gets straightened out," Hall said.

Assistant Rector Lyn Morlan will become the acting rector at St. Anne's in Hall's absence.

Hall and Morlan are sharing Holy Week services at the Stockton church, which Hall admits is "not one of the easiest times to plan a convention."

The San Joaquin Diocese of Episcopal Church USA has a new Web site, www.diosanjoaquin.org. The San Joaquin Diocese in the Southern Cone also has a new Web address, www.sanjoaquin.anglican.org.

Contact Religion Editor Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.