<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Good questions. A bishop doesn’t operate in a vacuum. He needs the support of his constituency. His mission and ministry depend on support from the people of the Diocese of Tennessee. If that support begins to diminish, it puts a lot of pressure on the bishop. One goal asap might have is to reach more people with our concerns. He would be more likely to change his policy if his support started to wane.<div class="">Ann<br class=""><div><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On Dec 8, 2015, at 9:20 AM, David Phillippi via ASAP <<a href="mailto:asap@episcopallists.com" class="">asap@episcopallists.com</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class=""><span id="docs-internal-guid-b6ec9a2f-822d-872d-1ecc-dae10e9b2641" class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">My name is David Phillippi and I attend at St. Augustine’s. I am thankful for this group. It gives me hope. </span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">I find myself with two questions:</span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">1. Short of the Bishop changing his mind, what else could effect change? </span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">I suspect the answer is very little, but I’m asking. There is no “veto power” or declaration of “unconstitutional” in the Episcopal Church? I’m aware of the National Church’s compromise on this issue, but could the National Church change its mind and require all dioceses to allow priests the option of administering this sacrament? </span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">2. Who else needs convincing?</span></div><br class=""><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class=""><span class="" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">I find it difficult to imagine that the Bishop would make a decision that had 0 support within the diocese. We can threaten to withhold our pledge, but I’m guessing that there are others who would withhold their pledge if the decision went the other way. How much support is there for the Bishop’s decision in the larger Diocese?</span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class=""><br class=""></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: transparent;" class="">David</span></div></span></div>
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