SECESSIONISTS RAISING ONE MILLION DOLLARS FOR SCHISMATIC PARISHES
The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina has ANNOUNCED it is raising one millions dollars to support the eight congregations that are leaving the Episcopal Church properties, that is, the local churches that the SC Supreme Court has said belong to the Episcopal diocese. The announcement says $250,000 has already been raised. Each congregation is to receive $10,000 initially with more to come by grants. No mention was made of the negotiations to buy St. Matthew's of Ft. Motte or the rectory of St. David's, of Cheraw, so one can only wonder how much diocesan money will be funneled into these.
On another note, the diocese has deleted from its WEBPAGE the September 21 newsletter. This was the one that spilled the beans on the supposedly confidential negotiations to buy the church in Ft. Motte and the rectory in Cheraw. Too late now.
To say this schism has been expensive would be an understatement. I estimate the legal fees alone in the last decade to be around $10m.
The fact that the secessionists are resolved to contribute a million dollars to keep eight congregations from going back to the Episcopal Church should bring home to the Episcopal side the seriousness of the negotiations now going on between themselves and the schismatics. The depth of the schismatics' animosity toward the Episcopal Church is profound. Compromise will not come easily to say the least. (In the joint statement of Sept. 26, the Anglicans gave up nothing they actually had.)
One more point---officers of the Anglican diocese of SC persist in pretending that their group is the historic diocese. The federal court ruled in 2019 that the Episcopal diocese is the only heir of the historic diocese and that the Anglican diocese formed after the schism of 2012. The judge even issued an Injunction to enforce a ban on the schismatics from claiming to be the historic diocese. Moreover, the breakaways have been held in contempt of court TWICE for violating the injunction. Yet, we see remarks as the Rev. Canon Jim Lewis: "For generations, the people of this Diocese have given generously..." Of course, there is a blogger, another officer of the ADOSC, who often posts "the historic Anglican diocese" and "the brand new Episcopal diocese." I doubt that the secessionists want to be held in contempt of court a third time.
