AMESBURY - West Newbury's All Saints Episcopal Church may move to a spot just down the street from Amesbury's existing Episcopal church, but the two churches are unlikely to merge, the assistant rector at All Saints Church said yesterday.
All Saints Episcopal Church wants to buy and move into the Sacred Heart parish building on Friend Street, which the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has offered for sale. It's almost within sight of Amesbury's St. James Episcopal Church, on Main Street.
The Rev. Michael Morse of All Saints said yesterday a merger of the two Episcopal churches is unlikely if the move happens. The leaders of All Saints have had "cordial" discussions with St. James officials about their possible move, he said.
Contacted yesterday, the Rev. Susan Esco Chandler of St. James declined to comment on the situation, saying she doesn't know much information about it.
The Rev. William Murdoch of All Saints has become a leading critic of the 2003 appointment of an openly gay Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire. The appointment caused a philosophical rift in the church, and Murdoch has openly discussed a possible split between the two wings of church.
Murdoch was unavailable this week. But in 2003, he sharply criticized the 62-45 vote that made the Rev. Gene Robinson the church's first openly gay bishop.
"We have a significant problem and point of division within the Episcopal Church," Murdoch told The Daily News at that time. "You have a very small group of Episcopalians who are trying to change the doctrine of the church for the whole global community."
The leadership of St. James in Amesbury has not been outspoken on the issue.
Maria Plati, a spokeswoman for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts declined to comment yesterday on the possible move by All Saints Church, saying the diocese was awaiting further details from All Saints.
All Saints Church property includes the small brick church and a parish hall on Main Street in West Newbury and, farther down the street, a separate parish house, which includes parish offices and meeting space. It's unclear at this time what would happen to those buildings if All Saints purchased Sacred Heart. Any sale of property owned by an Episcopal church cannot take place without the authority of the Episcopal Diocese.
All Saints Episcopal Church wants to buy and move into the Sacred Heart parish building on Friend Street, which the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston has offered for sale. It's almost within sight of Amesbury's St. James Episcopal Church, on Main Street.
The Rev. Michael Morse of All Saints said yesterday a merger of the two Episcopal churches is unlikely if the move happens. The leaders of All Saints have had "cordial" discussions with St. James officials about their possible move, he said.
Contacted yesterday, the Rev. Susan Esco Chandler of St. James declined to comment on the situation, saying she doesn't know much information about it.
The Rev. William Murdoch of All Saints has become a leading critic of the 2003 appointment of an openly gay Episcopal bishop in New Hampshire. The appointment caused a philosophical rift in the church, and Murdoch has openly discussed a possible split between the two wings of church.
Murdoch was unavailable this week. But in 2003, he sharply criticized the 62-45 vote that made the Rev. Gene Robinson the church's first openly gay bishop.
"We have a significant problem and point of division within the Episcopal Church," Murdoch told The Daily News at that time. "You have a very small group of Episcopalians who are trying to change the doctrine of the church for the whole global community."
The leadership of St. James in Amesbury has not been outspoken on the issue.
Maria Plati, a spokeswoman for the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts declined to comment yesterday on the possible move by All Saints Church, saying the diocese was awaiting further details from All Saints.
All Saints Church property includes the small brick church and a parish hall on Main Street in West Newbury and, farther down the street, a separate parish house, which includes parish offices and meeting space. It's unclear at this time what would happen to those buildings if All Saints purchased Sacred Heart. Any sale of property owned by an Episcopal church cannot take place without the authority of the Episcopal Diocese.
Morse said yesterday that All Saints is still a member of the Episcopal Church, and members haven't made any decision about leaving it.
"We are in difficult, challenging times within the denomination right now, but we have made no decision to leave," Morse said. All Saints Church has a "traditional, orthodox understanding of Christian faith," he said. "We're not changing our faith."
Morse said the decision to look into purchasing the Amesbury land stems from a desire to expand to a bigger facility in hopes of growing their church.
Members of the 300-family Episcopal church have been looking for more property for about five years, Morse said.
As to whether the West Newbury church will buy or lease the Sacred Heart church and accompanying building, which belongs to Holy Family Parish and is being sold by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, "No decision has been made yet," Morse said.
Messages left for the spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Boston have not been returned.
The two churches are having "substantial conversations," Morse said, adding that a decision could be made by the end of the summer. Morse declined to discuss any aspect of a possible sale, saying conversations between the two parties are in a "sensitive place."
Morse said relocating to a larger facility would allow worshippers to have more meeting space, parking and space to grow programs and community outreach.
"We've been bottle-necked in our building," Morse said.
In a letter to Holy Family parishioners recently, its two co-pastors wrote that All Saints Church had hoped to stay at the West Newbury location for another year, but "certain events in their church may require that they move from their church in the near future."
Morse said yesterday the "primary event" for looking into buying the Catholic Church's land is that parishioners have been searching for more property "for a very long time" and now an opportunity has been presented.
Holy Family Parish announced last year that it is selling Sacred Heart Church and its accompanying buildings. The St. Joseph's property, also a part of Holy Family Parish, is being renovated in order for all functions and Masses to be held at that site.
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