As a volunteer at that General Convention I witnessed the vote and the resulting walkout of the House of Bishops by twenty courageous orthodox bishops. As we gathered in the parish hall of a Lutheran Church across the street from that Convention Center in Minneapolis with many of those bishops to worship, pray and weep, I realized the Episcopal Church as we had known it for over 200 years would never be the same without true repentance and amendment of life for these and other actions.

The resulting Windsor Report has simply stated that these actions have torn the fabric of our Communion and breeched the bonds of affection we share as Anglicans. The Episcopal Church, unfortunately, has not responded as the majority of the Anglican Communion, through the Windsor Report, has asked by declaring we were wrong to take these actions in the first place and to promise not to elect another partnered gay or lesbian person until the consensus to do so emerges from the Communion as a whole.

By the actions taken at the 74th General Convention, ECUSA has left behind catholic practice and biblical faith and has embraced a schismatic trajectory that has compelled all biblical and catholic Episcopalians to distance themselves from these innovations.

Many breathed a sigh of relief when earlier this month another partnered gay or lesbian candidate was not elected as diocesan in the Diocese of California. We must not fool ourselves; nothing has changed. The innovators and their supporters have openly stated they will pursue a course of electing another bishop who will continue the schismatic trajectory. If not California; then Newark, Delaware, Olympia, Massachusetts or another diocese will soon follow New Hampshire.

Since August 5, 2003 a state of impaired or broken communion has existed between the orthodox bishops of our Church and those bishops who voted to confirm, who participated in the consecration of, or have embraced the teaching that supported the election of the current Bishop of New Hampshire. This state of impaired or broken communion encompasses all of ECUSA and includes many clergy, laity and their bishops.

These are the facts on the ground as we prepare for the 75th General Convention to be held next month in Columbus OH. As a clergy deputy elected by the people of the Diocese of Pittsburgh to serve them in Columbus, I have struggled mightily as to whether I could in good conscience even attend this upcoming General Convention, let alone participate fully in it. As many of you know I have been serious in taking part in the "councils of the Church", I have missed one annual diocesan convention in twenty-five years and I have attended five General Conventions, serving as a seated lay alternate at three of them, and I have worked as a planner and participant in numerous renewal and evangelism conferences at the national level.

I believe, as an orthodox Anglican Christian submitted to the Word of God and to the received teachings of the Church throughout the ages and in agreement with my bishop, Robert Duncan, that a state of broken communion exists between those bishops who have supported the schismatic election and confirmation of the Bishop of New Hampshire and myself. In good conscience, I cannot remain in Eucharistic fellowship or sit under the false teachings that supporters of the said election and confirmation promote. I will not, therefore, participate in the daily official General Convention Eucharists of the 75th General Convention, nor will I participate in the Bible discussion groups that follow these Eucharists. I am asking the Diocese of Pittsburgh lay and clergy deputies to agree to these spiritual sanctions. Further, I encourage the deputations of all the Network dioceses to act accordingly and for those orthodox deputies throughout the rest of ECUSA to decline participation as well.

Faithfully,

The Rev. David D. Wilson is rector of St Paul's Kittanning, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh
C4- Pittsburgh