The Council of Trustees of the diocese approved the proposed agreement March 1. The vestry (governing board) of the parish voted February 28 to recommend approval of the agreement to the parish; members of the parish will vote on whether to accept the agreement on Sunday, April 3.

Over time, significant differences have arisen between Christ Episcopal Church and the diocese and national church regarding theology, form of church government, and authority of the national church and diocese.

In an attempt to reconcile the differences between the parish and the diocese, Bishop Dean E. Wolfe of Kansas initiated a series of discussions in November 2003 involving representatives from both entities.

"After many conversations over more than a year, in which everyone involved has been respectful of one another and that have been marked by the love of Christ," Wolfe said, "Christ Episcopal Church and the diocese sadly recognize that because of these significant differences, we can no longer remain together in communion and association within the Episcopal Church."

"Our conversations have been anchored in prayer and have resulted in much anguish by all involved," said the Rev. Ronald McCrary, rector of Christ Episcopal Church. "At this point, both our parish and the diocese desire only success for each other as we continue to respond to our Christian callings but taking separate paths."

During the next four weeks, parishioners at Christ Episcopal Church will consider the proposed agreement, which is intended to relieve the parish of the authority of the Constitution and Canons (church legal policies) of the national church, the Constitution and Canons of the diocese, and the authority of the Bishop of Kansas. Key elements of the agreement include:

• After the separation becomes effective, Christ Episcopal Church will claim no association with the diocese or the national church.
• The diocese will release Christ Episcopal Church from any claims the diocese may have for unpaid financial commitments required by diocesan policy; in property owned or possessed by the parish; and in the Christ Church Endowment Fund. Christ Episcopal Church will release the diocese from any claims it may have against the diocese.
• A new entity, "Christ Church," will assume the current parish's mortgage debt and will purchase its assets with payments over time to the diocese.
• Christ Church will be led by the Rev. Ronald L. McCrary and will continue to worship at 91st and Nall and at the Mill Creek location in western Johnson County.
• The Bishop and Standing Committee of the diocese will terminate the authority of some clergy associated with Christ Episcopal Church to act as priests or deacons of the Episcopal Church.
• The diocese will make provisions for the ongoing pastoral care of Christ Episcopal Church parishioners who desire to continue to be members of the diocese and the Episcopal Church.

Bishop Wolfe and Father McCrary said, "It is the prayer of Christ Episcopal Church and the diocese that others will know we are Christians by the love and respect we have shown to one another despite our fundamental differences, in achieving a respectful and loving resolution of our differences without resorting to the use of civil courts or fostering enmity toward one another, and in reaching a resolution we can hold up to the community as one that seeks to do no harm to one another and that blesses each other as we follow Christ."

More details of the settlement and related materials are available at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/.