Declared 'Extinct,' But Still Worshiping
11/22/2005

It was relatively easy on Nov. 19 for the Rochester diocesan convention to declare a viable parish that claims 91 members “extinct.” But when the Rt. Rev. Jack McKelvey arrived two days later at All Saints’ Church in Irondequoit, N.Y., to collect the keys to the property, the parish’s lawyer informed Bishop McKelvey that he would not be turning over the keys that day “or at any time.”

All Saints’ has repeatedly refused to pay its canonically mandated parochial assessment, $16,000 for 2005. In a letter to the rector and vestry dated Nov. 15, Bishop McKelvey warned the Rev. David Harnish that he would be prohibited under church law from celebrating the following Sunday, and warned the vestry that their congregation would legally cease to exist if the resolution was approved at the diocesan convention that weekend.

“I will come to the church on Sunday morning at the regular time to conduct a prayer service and be available with others of my staff to answer any and all questions which members of your congregation may have,” Bishop McKelvey wrote.

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