A History of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pittsburgh
By Joan R. Gundersen, Archivist
Scattered Beginnings
Episcopalians and worship from the Book of Common Prayer were part of western Pennsylvania long before the organization of any parishes. George Washington was supposed to have read the burial service from 1662 Book of Common Prayer when General Braddock was buried in Fayette County by the remnants of his forces during their 1755 retreat. Several years later a Presbyterian chaplain accompanying General Forbes read the first known Book of Common Prayer service in Pittsburgh. As white settlers spread across southwestern Pennsylvania they read services in their homes, but no organized parishes emerged until the 19th century. In 1787 members of the Penn family deeded adjoining properties to the Episcopal and Presbyterian congregations in Pittsburgh, but the congregation did not use the land until much later. Episcopalians in Pittsburgh secured the services of the Rev. John Taylor (who also taught at the Pittsburgh Academy) in 1797, but they did not incorporate as a parish until 1805, and their first building was not built on the Penn gift.
Western Pennsylvanians were absent after the American Revolution as the Rev. William White became a leader in the movement to form both a national church and to organize Episcopalians within the state of Pennsylvania. (He became the first Bishop of Pennsylvania in 1787, and served as Presiding Bishop for much of the rest of his life.) The earliest mention of any Pittsburgh clergy in the Diocese of Pennsylvania convention journals was a disciplinary action in 1802-1803 removing the Rev. Robert Andrews “late of Pittsburg” from the ministry. The first time that deputies or clergy from western Pennsylvania attended the annual diocesan convention was 1818. Not only were Henry Baldwin and the Rev. Abiel Carter of Trinity Church in Pittsburgh present, but Carter led the Wednesday morning Eucharist.
Although isolated by the Allegheny Mountains and long distances from a diocese and bishop centered on Philadelphia, the Episcopal Church did begin to take root in western Pennsylvania, especially in its southern counties and in Pittsburgh. Long resident clergy in Brownsville (Robert Ayres), Somerset, Beaver (Francis Reno), and Washington Counties fostered early parishes there. John Taylor provided services at Trinity Church until his retirement in 1818. Bishop White’s assistant, Jackson Kemper (later one of the great missionary bishops of the church) got early missionary experience on trips to western Pennsylvania. In 1822 a missionary in deacon’s orders (Moses Bennett) was sent by the Society for the Advancement of Christianity in Pennsylvania to the Kittanning area. William Thompson, who arrived in Pittsburgh in 1821 as a deacon and was ordained priest at the Pennsylvania June convention in 1822 began efforts to plant a number of congregations. In 1823, Thompson made the motion admitting Christ Church, Greensburg (with Moses Bennett as rector) to full union with the convention.
In December 1823 Bishop William White ordained Moses Bennett as a priest and John Henry Hopkins as a deacon. At the June 1824 convention Hopkins was ordained priest, and Hopkins’ and Bennett’s energy would begin transforming the presence of the Episcopal Church in western Pennsylvania. Hopkins oversaw the building of a large new church building for Trinity, started a training program for candidates for orders in his home, and launched seven new parishes, including one in Meadesville. Bennett focused his efforts on Kittanning and Butler, Freeport, Indiana, and Meadesville. John Bausman, Jr. who had replaced Bennett as the SACP missionary, served several congregations around Fayette County. The growth and energy now evident in the Diocese of Pennsylvania led the diocese to publish in 1824 model articles of incorporation for new parishes. As new parishes formed in western Pennsylvania, they faithfully followed this model.
In May 1825, the seventy-seven-year-old Bishop White set out with the Rev. Jackson Kemper to do a western visitation, his first western trip in 40 years as bishop. He consecrated the new Trinity Church and confirmed a total of 135 Trinity members in two services. He also visited Beaver, Brownsville, Connellsville, and Greensburg, consecrating the churches in both Brownsville and Greensburg, and confirming 11 in Brownsville, 6 in Connellsville, and 60 in Greensburg. The next year the diocese elected an Assisting Bishop, Henry Onderdonk, who then did a visitation in western Pennsylvania in 1828. From this point on, assistant bishops made western visitations periodically.
Hopkins left Pittsburgh in 1831 to become rector of Trinity Church Boston. One year later he was elected the first Bishop of Vermont. By the time he left Pittsburgh, he had launched a number of clergy into the ministry. The region was still often neglected by the diocese, despite increased transportation options including canals and railroads, but those on site continued the work of building new parishes.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh Emerges
Finally in 1865, the parishes of western Pennsylvania gained permission from the Diocese of Pennsylvania for a division resulting in the creation of a new diocese. General Convention gave its approval for formation of the diocese in October 1865. Getting approval was not a certainty. Many bishops opposed splitting states into more than one diocese. Only New York had more than one diocese. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, the Presiding Bishop at the 1865 General Convention was John Henry Hopkins. He and his son, also John Hopkins, personally oversaw the movement of the resolutions necessary to authorize a diocesan organizing convention through the October 1865 General Convention.
The assisting bishop of Pennsylvania, William Stevens, called and presided at the organizing convention held November 15 and 16, 1865. The convention adopted the constitution of the Diocese of Pennsylvania with only modifications related to geography and the number of parishes (following the rules in the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church), and proceeded to elect John Barrett Kerfoot as bishop. Consecrated in 1866 Kerfoot proved to be an energetic builder and leader for the diocese.
His successor Cortlandt Whitehead served from 1882 to 1922. During their episcopacies, steel manufacturing, coal mining, and oil production transformed Pittsburgh into a major industrial city. As the city changed, the diocese founded a variety of diocesan charitable organizations, including the Church Home for orphans and aged women, St. Margaret’s Hospital, St. Barnabas Home and others. In order to keep pace with new mission formation, the bishops made use of the Layman’s Missionary League which coordinated work of lay readers in bringing worship to new mission sites. The Diocese of Pittsburgh had grown sufficiently by 1910 that the thirteen northern counties were set off as a new diocese.
Although women had begun forming prayer book, missionary, and tract societies long before 1865, women’s organizations played a major role in the development of parishes and social outreach efforts in the new diocese. The diocese quickly organized Woman’s Auxiliary branches after General Convention authorized the Auxiliary in 1871. In fact, a Pittsburgh woman, Ida Soule, is considered the founder (with Julia Emery) of the United Thank Offering. Between 1886 and 1889 Soule organized the efforts that led General Convention to approve creation of this special fund supervised and dispersed by the Woman’s Auxiliary. The diocese had active units of the Girl’s Friendly Society, Daughters of the King, Church Periodical Club and other women’s organizations by the turn of the century. Calvary Parish made its own unique mark in 1921 by becoming the first congregation in the United States to broadcast one of their worship services through the new medium of radio.
Twentieth Century Challenges
Little did Alexander Mann dream that his episcopacy, begun in prosperity of 1922, would be dominated by the challenges of economic depression and war. The depression cut diocesan and parish resources to the bone. Despite clergy shortages and fund shortages that led to deferred maintenance, the diocese continued to be a national leader. Two of Calvary’s rectors were called to be bishops during this period. Calvary also began a summer camp on the shores of Lake Erie offering Christian formation and a respite from the smoky city to young people. By the mid 1940’s the camp had been adopted as a diocesan institution.
Illness hampered Bishop Mann in the later years of his episcopacy. In 1944 newly- elected bishop, Austin Pardue, began a massive rebuilding project, recruiting clergy, and founding new parishes. As the suburban sprawl of the 1950s engulfed Pittsburgh, Pardue found parcels of suburban land for new churches (sometimes in rather hidden locations). He was aided in the task by suffragan bishop William Thomas, the only suffragan bishop to ever be elected by the diocese. Pardue’s vision encompassed members of the working class, and the church actively planted congregations in working class neighborhoods and articulated support for unions and social justice for workers. At the same time, Calvary recruited a nationally know rector from New York, Samuel Shoemaker (a founder of AA) who brought a renewed emphasis on prayer to middle class congregations and Nancy Chalfant and others made the diocese a leader in healing ministries. Shoemaker’s wife Helen was a leading force in the creation of the Anglican Fellowship of Prayer.
Robert Appleyard assumed leadership of the diocese as bishop in 1968. He served in tumultuous times for the Episcopal Church and the nation, as social reform movements, efforts to open all doors to women and people of color in the church, liturgical revision (including a new Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal), and a charismatic movement all left their mark on the diocese and the Episcopal Church. The Pittsburgh diocese became one of the first dioceses to ordain women, when Bishop Appleyard priested Beryl Choi in January 1977. Not all in the diocese welcomed this change, and many women clergy experienced a chilly atmosphere for over two decades.
In 1975, various evangelical and charismatic leaders choose Pittsburgh as the site for a new alternative seminary, Trinity School for Ministry. It became a magnet for evangelicals and during Appleyard’s administration the diocese became more contentious and diverse. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Church Army, Community of Celebration, Episcopal Church Missionary Community, South American Missionary Society and other groups began making Pittsburgh their headquarters.
By the time of Alden Hathaway’s consecration in 1981, evangelicals were strong enough to begin reshaping the diocese. Under Hathaway, the diocese began focusing on church growth; however, he needed administrative help, and in 1992 brought the Rev. Robert W. Duncan from Delaware to be his Canon to the Ordinary. Duncan reorganized diocesan budgeting and administrative structure, and worked with many parishes on rethinking mission.
When Hathaway announced his retirement, many in the diocese expected the search committee to include Duncan among their nominees. Although his name had been submitted to the committee, they chose not to send him forward. In an emotional vote, Duncan was nominated from the floor at the special convention called in 1996 to elect a bishop, and elected bishop. From his consecration in 1997 to his deposition in September 2008, Duncan moved ever closer to those who were alienated from the Episcopal Church. Increasingly Pittsburghers took leading roles in the intertwined organizations critical of the Episcopal Church direction. Among these groups were PECUSA, Inc., “First Promise,” and the American Anglican Council. In addition, they built international ties to parts of the Anglican Communion, especially provinces in Africa and Asia. Pittsburgh clergy helped to build the ties that resulted in the rewriting on the floor of resolutions related to the communion’s response to GLBT clergy and laity at the Lambeth Conference.
Internally, Bishop Duncan continued a process of diocesan reorganization. Diocesan-wide support for social service ministries declined unless they had an overtly evangelical aspect. Shepherd’s Wellness, a pioneering ministry founded in 1987 to serve people with HIV/AIDS and their families won a national church award in 1996, but was soon cut from the budget. Duncan appointed an English Bishop, Henry Scriven as Assistant Bishop in 2001. By 2003, the diocese had allowed UPMC to take over operation of St. Margaret’s Hospital and Canterbury Place (the successor to the church home). St. Barnabas Home was also gone. In its place were parish-run programs that competed for diocesan grants intended only for start-up, and Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship an innovative ministry that was both a parish and a shelter for homeless veterans. As diocesan institutions disappeared, so did connections to mainstream organizations of the Church. For example, diocesan leadership retreats were scheduled for the same days as Province III meetings, thus making it impossible for the diocese to be represented at the synod.
The Road to Division
The election of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003 provided those already alienated from the Episcopal Church with a precipitating issue. Bishop Duncan called for a special convention in September 2003 where resolutions were presented and passed that challenged the Episcopal Church canons articulating a trust interest for the wider church in all parish property and the clause in the diocesan constitution giving unqualified accession to the constitution and canons of the Episcopal Church.
From 2003 to 2008, diocesan leadership took one step after another distancing itself from the Episcopal Church and the church constitution and canons. Bishop Duncan, who was the convener of the Bishop’s group within the American Anglican Council in 2003 became a leader in the formation of the Network of Anglican Communion dioceses and Parishes, which eventually became the core for the Anglican Church in North America. In the summer of 2006, diocesan leadership asked for “Alternative Primatial Oversight” because they could not accept the new Presiding Bishop’s authority. That fall, diocesan convention passed a resolution (a substitute presented on the floor) supposedly removing the diocese from Province III (a regional grouping of dioceses within the Episcopal Church).
Passage of “Resolution One” in 2002 had already concerned members of the Episcopal Women’s Caucus enough that they had begun forming a new group – which emerged in spring 2003 as Progressive Episcopalians of Pittsburgh. The fledgling group quickly became one rallying place for those interested in maintaining ties with the Episcopal Church. In early 2004 PEP leaders helped organize a coalition of grass root groups from other dioceses facing similar reactions. The group was called Via Media USA. These groups provided support and pooled talents to counter misinformation about the Episcopal Church and provide a witness within their dioceses.
Calvary Church took its own steps by filing suit against diocesan leadership in October 2003 to protect diocesan property and ensure it would remain in the Episcopal Church. Calvary’s legal action led to notice at the 2004 diocesan convention that the 2005 convention would vote on disassociating Calvary and St. Stephen’s Wilkinsburg (which had joined Calvary in the lawsuit in spring, 2004) from the diocese. A few weeks before the 2005 convention, the parties signed a stipulation settling the lawsuit by confirming that diocesan property belonged to the “Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church USA.” The stipulation also outlined a process for parish property negotiation should members of a congregation want to withdraw from the diocese. After convention in the fall of 2006, Calvary went back to court seeking enforcement of the stipulation given that the diocesan leadership seemed intent on leaving the Episcopal Church. In May 2007, diocesan leadership announced a period of “discernment” and that the fall 2007 convention would consider measures intended to withdraw the diocese from the Episcopal Church. Because the measures included constitutional amendments that required two votes, the process would not be complete until voted on by the 2008 convention.
In early 2007 members interested in staying in the Episcopal Church had begun meeting in Maryland with the Province III officers and representatives from the Presiding Bishop. PEP organized the meetings. By fall 2007 this group had begun making contact with others interested in staying in the Episcopal Church and a broad coalition had formed by spring 2008 called “Across the Aisle.” Across the Aisle then began planning both to try to defeat the final vote, and for the continuance of diocesan governance should diocesan leadership get a majority vote at the convention in 2008.
Independently, the legal team of Calvary joined with some members of this group to file a presentment in 2007 against Bishop Duncan for abandoning the Communion. In September 2008 the House of Bishops consented to depose Bishop Duncan. The Standing Committee then hired Duncan as a consultant and continued plans for the October 3-4, 2008 convention.
Rebuilding and Moving Forward
At the conclusion of the 2008 convention, the diocese had one member of Standing Committee , the Rev. James Simons, who had clearly stated his intent to remain in TEC, and at least some members of every other key diocesan governing body. Simons immediately set in works a survey of diocesan elected officials to find out who was still a member of TEC. At an October 8 meeting of the Across the Aisle group led by Simons in his role as Standing Committee member, he appointed two more members to Standing Committee, named a Chancellor, Director of Communication, Webmaster, Administrator, and Treasurer. Within 24 hours the group had been recognized by the Presiding Bishop and other Episcopal leaders as the legitimate authority in the diocese. The Standing Committee set December 11-12, 2008 for a special convention and began the process of picking up the pieces to govern the diocese. It was a daunting task since the group had none of the records, resources, or equipment of the diocese and had to begin from scratch. The diocese gratefully accepted the appointment of Bishop David Jones of Virginia as consulting bishop during these early months.
At the December special convention, with 27 congregations in attendance, the diocese filled all vacant spots in governance, approved a revised budget, and approved the selection of the Right Rev. Robert Johnson as Assisting Bishop. In the next 3 months, the diocese moved from volunteer to paid staff, rented office space and an apartment for the bishop and continued rebuilding. By then the diocesan chancellor had been admitted as a participant in the Calvary lawsuit, and the Episcopal Church had also joined in the suit. The diocese elected Kenneth Price their provisional bishop in fall 2009. Immediately following convention, he began the process of releasing the clergy who were not participating in the Episcopal Church.
Just before the 2009 convention, Judge James announced his decision confirming that the diocese participating in the Episcopal Church was the proper holder of diocesan property, and requested a report from a special master appointed the previous fall to provide a listing of that property. Judge James issued the final order requiring the Anglican Diocese to turn over all diocesan assets to the Episcopal diocese on January 29, 2010. Transfer occurred in stages over the next several months, although the Anglican group did file an appeal.
February 2011 marked the beginning of a new stage for the Episcopal diocese. The Commonwealth Court of Appeals announced its decision affirming the earlier award on February 2. A subsequent request for a rehearing by the full court was denied, as was an appeal to the state supreme court. Among the properties included in the award were deeds to 22 parishes whose congregations had ceased participating in the Episcopal Church. Also on February 2, the diocese announced a settlement with the largest of these parishes, St. Philip’s Moon Township, and a week later announced an agreement with another parish. All parishes that had not been participating in the Episcopal Diocese, but were members of the diocese at the close of convention on October 4, 2008 were notified in March 2011 that they were now transitional parishes, and that the diocese was interested in negotiating with all non-participating parishes. In 2011 some of the non-participating parishes who occupied buildings whose ownership by the Episcopal diocese had been affirmed in the legal action, began voluntarily relinquishing their buildings.
In the meantime the Episcopal Diocese had begun to grow. Seventeen of its parishes reported more members in 2010 than they had in 2009. Eleven showed losses. A new church plant was admitted to union with the diocese at the 2010 convention. In late June the diocese announced the start of worship services in three existing parish buildings. Diocesan organizations such as Cursillo and ECW had been reorganized; a new youth ministry initiative had begun, and the diocese had made regular budgetary allocations to support a variety of social outreach initiatives including Up 4 Reading, the Neighborhood Youth Outreach Program in Wilkinsburg, Coal County Youth Hangout in Northern Cambria, and Shepherd’s Wellness.
The diocese took further steps forward in 2012 when three non-participating congregations resumed active membership in the diocese, and two congregations resumed participation in the diocese after the non-participating majority left their buildings. On March 21st, the diocese elected its eighth diocesan bishop, Dorsey McConnell. Bishop Price was honored by the diocese as he retired and the diocese joyfully celebrated the consecration of their new bishop on October 20, 2012.
JRG 3/12/13
