"The diocese is in free fall," an orthodox rector told VirtueOnline. "Parishes are leaving the diocese, with many of the smaller parishes now being run by non-stipendiary priests; his largest cardinal parishes are mostly gone." He still has the cathedral and Christ Church Ponte Vedra and their giving has increased. He still has some heavy hitters but they won't be enough to keep it all going, he said.

Two of the most liberal parishes in the diocese, St. Johns Cathedral, Jacksonville (The Very Rev. Edward Harrison Jr, Dean) and St. Peter's in Fernandina Beach (Rev. George Young III) sponsored a resolution calling for a minimum standard of giving to the diocese pegged at 15% of a congregations annual operating revenues, with increases of 2% in 2007, 2% in 2008, and 1% in 2009; with 2010 as the date by which all congregations will meet this minimum standard of giving.

"The mood was that nobody was in favor of it; even moderate and liberal priests and some of the smaller churches were opposed to it," said an orthodox priest who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.

A moderate priest got up and said, "give us small guys a chance. You two churches have money and it is no big deal." It was a practical concern not a theological one, said the priest. No one addressed the issue of how to bail out the diocese. One of the two priests, the Dean Edward Harrison from the cathedral, got up and withdrew the resolution saying they only offered the resolution to spark conversation. "It worked, there was lots of conversation and dialogue after Harrison withdrew the resolution. Further discussion took place on stewardship issues. It was heard that Bishop Howard said it was not his resolution hoping to distance himself from it," said the priest.

On the subject of money to the diocese, the Rev. Mark Eldredge, Church of the Epiphany, Jacksonville stood up and read Gal: 1: 6-10 and asked delegates if they were trying to please God or man. Eldredge favored leaving diocesan giving at 10 percent and argued that the rest be used for local evangelism.

"The sad part about the convention is that it was all portrayed as a love fest... how wonderful everything is...a great spirit of unity...how well everyone is in getting along with much praise for the bishop and his wife. There were reports on Katrina relief, feeding the hungry etc. all good stuff, but it's just that doing "good stuff" alone is not what God has called His church to do or be. The bishop then asked us to vote $250,000 he had received in settlement from the sale of a property in Jacksonville as a matching grant to rebuild a church in Mississippi. But the only reference to Jesus throughout the convention was in the liturgy, but we were using a New Zealand liturgy for evensong which is gender neutral and has nothing to do with Jesus at all. It was void of anything blatantly Christian."

Fr. Eldredge said the best part of it all was when the Rev. Hall Hunt, of the Church of the Good Samaritan, Orange Park, got up at the end of the convention and on a point of personal privilege proceeded to read Rev. 2:18, the Apostle John's unnerving message to the Church at Thyatira..."I know your good deeds and your love but I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel..." the bishop's wife was not amused.

Several of the 500 delegates gave muted applause.

"It was the perfect ending of convention...it was so good. I was proud of him," said another orthodox priest.

However, prior to the convention Howard had sent a note to a number of parish priests telling them in bold headlines, CAUTION: POSSIBLE LOSS OF VOTE AT CONVENTION. The note came with a warning that if parishes had not submitted their required financial audit/review for 2004 nor submitted the required 2004 and 2005 Parochial reports they could not vote.

One irate orthodox rector called VOL enraged at Howard's heavy hand. "It is 30 years since I graduated from seminary. During that time there have been times when I have had a disagreement or a strained relationship with a bishop or a diocesan office. At times, I have received a call from a bishop or diocesan office saying: "Is there a problem? How can we help?" Never, ever in 30 years have I been threatened until now. I consider this act to have crossed a line that is totally inappropriate in The Church. I was under the impression that we operated under New Testament Grace, not Old Testament law!"

"I have had a good relationship with Howard. I have supported him. Suddenly out of the blue I get this. So the parochial report went in late. I already handed it in on time. The canons have not changed to reflect the change of timing of convention. I have been 30 years in the ministry; an 8th priest in three generations, and I have never had this happen to me. I am angry that the bishop is throwing canon law at people rather than picking up the phone and calling and asking is there a problem."

Before issuing a charge of violation of Canon Law, it would seem appropriate to carefully read the appropriate Canons to see if they actually apply. They do not fully apply in this case. It would also seem appropriate to make sure that the charges are totally accurate, fumed the priest.

The priest said he had hand delivered to 325 Market Street-the Parochial Report last year on February 28, 2005. "If it was misplaced at the diocesan office, that same Canon requires the diocese to so inform us within 30 days. Since there was no such notification, I can only assume that the diocese has that report."

When approached about the matter, Canon Kurt Dunkle, Bishop Howard's chief of staff, told the priest that he only did it to "rattle the cage a bit". But Bishop Steve Jecko would never have done that, said the priest.

As a parting shot, that priest wrote, "It is my considered opinion that when you start threatening your friends-those who have supported you through thick and thin, sometimes at considerable personal cost-it may be time to sit down and reconsider some things."

In his diocesan address Howard admitted that some 30 priests had left the diocese and opined that the diocese was in a three-stage program. "Stage one is consolidation a winnowing out of the diocese. Stage two is rebuilding, getting new leaders, and stage three would see unprecedented growth in evangelism."

But another rector retorted, "When you have run off every priest who believes Jesus is the Savior how do you hope to grow the diocese?"

A report on Grace Church the former parish of the Rev. Sam Pascoe that left the diocese and ECUSA, and one of the largest in the diocese, came from the priest-in-charge who offered contradictory news. On the one hand delegates were told that the parish was alive and well, but then he proceeded to say how bad things were financially. "It is going to take $15,000 a month to keep the doors open and we now have only $2,000 in the bank. We are good for a couple of days," said the new senior warden. When the new pastoral team took over the parish they found $62 in the checking account. The report went on to say that while there were 1300 membership in the parish before they left, 800 left with Pascoe. The priest-in-charge admitted that about less than 100 were now attending. "We need to find the other 300." The truth is they don't exist anymore; a priest told VOL. "They left or died a long time ago."

Said the priest, "Let's try to reach the thousands of people in Orange Park that don't yet know Jesus as Lord and Savior. That should be the goal of growth."

BUT into the melee this week came news that one of his most liberal priests, a refugee from the revisionist Diocese of Newark, the Rev. Gordon Tremaine was forced to resign as rector of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church on charges that he had had a sexual relationship with an adult member of a congregation he was serving in the Newark diocese.

Howard sent a letter explaining the situation to parish leaders, a copy of which VOL obtained. In it Howard wrote: "The immediate response I have taken of inhibiting Father Tremaine is supported by Title IV of our Canons and by the best wisdom and experience of the Church as it seeks healing in sexual misconduct cases. Canon law is 'law' understood in its highest sense...as a God given expression of care for the ordering of the Church.

The process of information gathering and investigation at Holy Trinity and in New Jersey seeks to provide a sanctuary, a safe place for naming the truth and listening to one another in a spirit of love and self-control. We all must remember that this is a process and it will take time and we must be patient as it is done lovingly and properly."

Howard went on to write, "This is sad news for me as it may be for you. Since 2002, Gordon has served as rector, pastor, counselor, building and friend for many of us. He has been a valued member of the diocese and he will be personally missed by many."

Missed he may be, but Tremaine's parish was one of the largest and most liberal and his adultery has given credence to the belief that liberal theology leads to liberal morals, thus shattering real hope for growth in the diocese. Inclusivity never spawned a single new congregation.

END