The Episcopal Church's senior-most governing body outside of General Convention heard last week about the rebuilding of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, after which the Presiding Bishop spoke of "on-going support" for this diocese.
While a portion of the Executive Council's June 16-18 meeting was devoted to a formal briefing about a similar rebuilding underway in San Joaquin, California, members also learned about Pittsburgh from council's newest member, the Rev. Dr. Jim Simons, rector of St. Michael's in Ligonier.
"Yes, there was discussion of the situation in Pittsburgh," said Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori as the meeting ended on Friday. She added, "The situations in the different continuing dioceses are quite different and on-going support is different in those dioceses."
 The Rev. Dr. Jim Simons and the Rev. Canon Kenneth Kearon |
"We're working hard as Executive Council to develop ways in which the wider church can continue to be of support to parts of the body that are in some distress," the Presiding Bishop said.
Both the Presiding Bishop and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson said that Pittsburgh was discussed several times during the meeting. Dr. Anderson described Dr. Simons' report on the diocese to the Executive Council's joint standing committee on Governance and Administration for Mission as "very aptly" given.
On Council's final day, Dr. Simons questioned the secretary general of the Anglican Communion, , during a discussion about the Episcopal Church's standing in the communion.