Fort Worth: Clergy Discussions on Conflict Produce No Solution

The Rt. Rev. Jack Leo Iker
Bishop of Fort Worth
October 13, 2008

In late January, I asked 12 of the senior, most respected priests of the Diocese to begin meeting together as a clergy discussion group to assist me in addressing the tensions and conflicts involved in the life of our Diocese as we move toward a Diocesan Convention vote in November to separate from the General Convention of The Episcopal Church. I am sorry to report that after several meetings over the months, they have been unable to agree on any proposed remedy for the divisions that face us.

Canon Hough served as moderator for the discussions. The other participants were the three clerical members of the Standing Committee, Dean Ryan Reed, Fr. Christopher Cantrell and Fr. Thomas Hightower; and four rectors known to favor continued affiliation with the General Convention and four known to be for realignment. They are Fr. Fred Barber, Fr. Chris Jambor, Fr. Sam McClain, Fr. Bill Stanford, Fr. Bill Crary, Dr. Bill Dickson, Fr. Tim Perkins, and Fr. Stuart Smith. I am deeply grateful to each of them for their willingness to engage in this difficult task. the rest