TALKS UNDERWAY FOR "ORDERLY TRANSITION"

Bishop Ruth Woodliff-Stanley revealed today that talks are underway between the Episcopal and Anglican dioceses of South Carolina. Find her remarks HERE @ 2:05. 

She said one larger meeting has been held following the conversations just of the two bishops. In this, each side brought a "small group" to the table along with the bishops. The purpose of the meeting, she said, was to plan an "orderly transition of properties and of leadership." ("Transition" was the operative word there.) The bishop acknowledged earlier the property settlement of the court. From the sound of her remarks, the actual ownership of the properties was not an issue of discussion. It was the physical transfer of certain properties from Anglican to Episcopal possession.

If the SC Supreme Court denies a rehearing, a probability in the near future, the Anglican side will have to hand over 14 parishes they now occupy. The Anglican diocese will also have to surrender possession of diocesan properties, e.g. Camp St. Christopher and the bishop's residence in Charleston.

From the information we have now, I think we can conclude that the issue of who gets what property is off the table. The problem of the future is the most expeditious ways to transfer possession of the 14 and the diocesan assets and properties to the Episcopal diocese. 

It is good the two sides are meeting and taking this seriously because, after nearly ten years of schism, everything involved is highly complicated and complex and will require a great deal of work to resolve rightfully.

First things first. The next item is the response of the SCSC to the petitions for rehearing. I expect the court to respond within the next few weeks and to deny the petitions. After that, the court will send their 20 April decision back down to the circuit court for implementation.