[Magdalen] Movement in The Episcopal Church in SC

[Ginga Wilder]

Thanks, Eleanor.  We are delighted that this FAQ is now published.  A HUGE
thing because we were encouraged by the local federal judge not to wait on
SCOTUS to decline to hear or decide to hear the appeal from the Lawrence
church.  That is huge....indeed!  The state and federal courts have been
deciding for TEC and TECSC, but no action has been taken.  The federal
judge in Charleston said we should simply take control of the properties
that are ours.  We are not acting in such an aggressive way.

Good Shepherd, Summerville has continued to grow, especially since our new
priest-in-charge arrived last July.  He is engaged in the parish, rather
than just doing Sunday worship.  Not leaving all of that to the laity truly
makes a difference with the parish's sense of well-being.  Don't get me
wrong, our laity take our lay ministries seriously.  A joy and a peace is
present when Good Shepherd gathers that is contagious.  Since the earliest
days of the split, I noticed that presence in our congregation.  I told the
Standing Committee when I was a member that I had studied about being the
body of Christ all of my adult life...and now, I/we are living that out in
ways we never imagined.  I confess that the schism has been a good thing
for Episcopalians...a real chance to let that which needed to die, die and
let new life grow in our midst.  Alleluia.

Good Shepherd has not made any decision about buildings, but we will begin
talking soon at a vestry retreat.  The St. Paul's plant has 5 buildings,
including two recent constructions that are enormous.  One is a
multi-purpose building where St. Paul's renewal service is held...seats 450
people.  Another is a 22,000 sq ft children's ministry building.  Other
buildings are an 1857 church building, a 1924 community services building
(original parish hall), and a 1970s office building.  The property is
surrounded on two sides with a cemetery that dates to the mid 1800s.  This
is a beautiful property.  Our parish is small - just over 100 members,
including children -- 45 units.  SO, if we choose to go back into the
property, great plans will need to be made so that we can afford this
step.  (This parish dates to 1829 on this site, having been formed from two
colonial parishes nearer Charleston.

So, we are doing well.  Please  pray that we will choose well and continue
to flourish as the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville.

Good stuff going on.
Ginga

On Thu, May 3, 2018 at 12:33 PM, Eleanor Braun <eleanor.braun at gmail.com>
wrote:

> So what is happening with your church?
>
> Eleanor
>
> On Wed, May 2, 2018 at 5:27 PM, Ginga Wilder <gingawilder at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Friends,
> > The Episcopal Church in SC has published a FAQ following the August 2,
> 2017
> > SC Supreme Court decision that most of the property the Lawrence church
> > attempted to take as its own and also the recent opinion of federal Judge
> > Richard Gergel that TEC and TECSC owns the property - he actually
> > encouraged TECSC not to wait on the US Supreme Court.  This is done in
> > advance of an opinion of the US Supreme Court in which the Lawrence
> diocese
> > seeks a writ of certiorari to retry the property case.
> >
>