| Communication from the Standing Committee |
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South Carolina Prepares to Re-elect the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence as Bishop Following a specially called meeting in Charleston, S.C., on April 17, the standing committee announced plans to begin the process of re-electing the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence as Bishop of South Carolina. Fr. Lawrence's election on the first ballot last September was nullified last month by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori because the diocese did not receive a sufficient number of properly verified consents from a majority of diocesan standing committees within the time frame specified by the canons. "We are fully persuaded that the Holy Spirit spoke in that election and we were reassured that a majority of both bishops and standing committees intended to consent to this election," the committee stated. "We are determined to carry forward our diocesan mission within the context of the canons which give order to our common life. Accordingly, at our meeting today, we unanimously passed a resolution reconvening the 216th annual meeting of the Diocese of South Carolina, which was recessed." The standing committee sought the most expeditious way of moving forward with another election, the Rev. J. Haden McCormick told The Living Church. Reconvening the clergy and lay delegates from the annual meeting last November would save almost six months as opposed to waiting for approval for an election from the annual meeting next November, said Fr. McCormick who noted that the diocesan canons require approval from the annual convention before a special electing convention can be called. Under the timeline envisioned by the standing committee, the annual convention will reconvene in early June. If a majority of clergy and lay delegates agree to a special electing convention, it would occur as soon as possible after the canonically mandated notification period. The special electing convention would then meet sometime toward the end of the summer. This would permit Fr. Lawrence to be consecrated before Christmas if he receives the necessary consents from both standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction. Fr. Lawrence received consent from a majority of bishops. The nullification of the South Carolina election was the first time in more than 50 years in The Episcopal Church. Courtesy of "The Living Church" |
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