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Reunification 2022: We're Better Together!
An old Texas saying says: “Long as I got a biscuit, you got half.” It’s a short way of saying that friends and family take care of one another, that we are better together.
“Better Together” quickly became the theme of the 2022 reunion of two dioceses, the Episcopal Church in North Texas, formerly the Diocese of Fort Worth; and the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
The process of exploring reunification began in April. Episcopal Church in North Texas was born out of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas in 1849 and later became part of the Missionary District of Northern Texas in 1874. In 1895, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas joined the new Diocese of Dallas and then became the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth in 1982.
In February 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, which upheld the decision of the Texas Supreme Court. With that decision most of the property–including the name of the diocese–was awarded to people who left the Episcopal Church in 2008.
This concluded a long period of litigation following a 2008 schism involving the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth when a majority of clergy and lay leaders voted to leave the Episcopal Church in disagreement about the ordination of women and full inclusion of LGBTQ+ people.
Just as they did in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 schism, the resilient, faithful people of the diocese found new places to worship and didn’t miss a beat in carrying on the vital ministries and outreach to their neighbors. The diocese also decided on the new name, the Episcopal Church in North Texas.
In fall 2021, Mayer called together a discernment group of clergy and lay leaders to begin the process of identifying and evaluating options for the future of the Episcopal Church in North Texas. The discernment group eventually concluded that exploring a reunion with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas made sense. In January 2022, the discernment group sent its recommendation to the standing committee of the Episcopal Church in North Texas: It should reunite with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.
On April 12, the standing committee of the Episcopal Church in North Texas voted to engage in conversations with the Diocese of Texas about potential reunification.
On behalf of the standing committee, Mayer reached out to Bishop C. Andrew Doyle with an invitation to visit the Episcopal Church in North Texas and open formal conversations between the dioceses. Doyle responded.
“We are family, we love you, and we are delighted to explore this with you,” Doyle said.
Bishop Doyle issued a pastoral letter on April 24 to the Diocese of Texas, explaining the proposal.
Once the legalities of reunion were worked out, Doyle reconvened the 173rd Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas on June 9. The council overwhelmingly voted to reunite with the Episcopal Church of North Texas. The purpose of the reconvening was expressly to vote on two resolutions: the first being reuniting with the Episcopal Church in North Texas and the other, authorizing a bishop assistant for what would become the north Region of the diocese.
“The people of the Diocese of Texas warmly welcome our siblings home,” Doyle said. “This reunification process is very exciting, and we are elated about the extraordinary possibilities that come with becoming part of this region of Texas. The Episcopal Church of North Texas will bring great perspectives and divine gifts to our diocese and as one, we will reach and bring more people to God. At the end of the day, that is our purpose.”
On June 18, Mayer called to order a special meeting of the Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Church in North Texas to vote on reunion. The vote was unanimous. In a video address to the convention after the vote, Doyle said: “We are better together.”
The reunification process then moved to General Convention, where on July 9 the House of Deputies voted unanimously to approve Resolution D050, setting in motion the reunification of the Fort Worth-based North Texas with the Diocese of Texas. On June 11, during its final day in Baltimore, the 80th General Convention of The Episcopal Church approved the reunification with a unanimous vote in the House of Bishops. The vote was taken on the last day because upon final passage of the resolution, the North Texas diocese ceased to exist. By waiting until the end, the deputation from the Fort Worth based diocese was able to take part fully in General Convention.
The House of Bishops greeted the vote with a standing ovation and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry invited the bishops of Texas and Mayer to join him on the platform.
“We rejoice with the good people of both dioceses at this reunion, even while we acknowledge the painful history of the past years for our friends in North Texas,” Curry said. “I look forward to what will be accomplished in service to Jesus of Nazareth as the resilient North Texans rejoin the Texas diocese.
“We are being welcomed gratefully and gladly into a diocese that shares our values,” Mayer said. “We believe this reunion will strengthen both parties, equipping The Episcopal Church to reach the people of North Texas, the fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States, more effectively with our message of God’s unconditional love.”
“As we move toward a new future together, we are unified by the Love of Christ Jesus who prayed for us – that we all may be one and we are thankful for this reunion,” said Doyle.
Bishop Scott Mayer ended his time with the North Region at the end of 2022.
The new North Region of the Episcopal Dioceses of Texas has opened an office just south of downtown Fort Worth. Joseph Roberts has become the executive assistant to the bishop of the North Region. A bishop discernment group of clergy and lay leaders is working at Doyle’s request to determine what is needed in the new assistant bishop for the region. Laypeople and clergy have been invited to serve on diocesan bodies, and the region’s clergy are being fully integrated into the diocese.
It's an exciting time to be sharing biscuits as together we spread the Good News of a loving, living, liberating God.
