We affirm our Presiding Bishop's statement of March 15 in which he says
"the claim that their [the five bishops] action was pastoral and in
accordance with a mandate from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Primates of the Anglican Communion is contradicted by the statement of
the Primates last October which states quite clearly that they,
'reaffirm the teaching of successive Lambeth Conferences that bishops
must respect the autonomy and territorial integrity of dioceses and
provinces other than their own...'

We also note that this action - being in violation of our Constitution
and Canons - is contrary to the Archbishop of Canterbury's understanding of
how we are to move forward. As he said in a recent letter to our Presiding
Bishop regarding the forthcoming meeting of the House of Bishops: "My hope and
prayer is that this meeting will offer generous and constructive ways forward
within the constitutional and canonical structures of ECUSA that will guarantee
Episcopal care for all and avoid further fragmentation, and the consequent
distraction from our main task of proclaiming Christ."

As members of the Council of Advice we represent different points of
view and are not all of one mind regarding the rightness of certain
actions taken at last summer's General Convention. We are, however,
completely one in our commitment to working together as fellow bishops
in our common mission, which is to proclaim the reconciling love of God
made known in Christ to a broken and divided world.

Through our life in Christ we are bound together in a common ministry of
oversight and "care for all the churches." We believe that these bonds, grounded
in common prayer, are far stronger and more enduring than the forces at work
which seek to sow the seeds of division. It is our earnest hope and prayer we
will be guided and upheld by God's grace in the days ahead as we move forward
together in the service of the gospel.

The Rt. Rev. Chilton R. Knudsen Province I, Diocese of Maine

The Rt. Rev. Jack M. McKelvey Province II, Diocese of Rochester

The Rt. Rev. Robert W. Ihloff Province III, Diocese of Maryland

The Rt. Rev. Charles E. Jenkins, III Province IV, Diocese of Louisiana

The Rt. Rev. Wendell N. Gibbs Jr. Province V, Diocese of Michigan

The Rt. Rev. James L. Jelinek Province VI, Diocese of Minnesota

The Rt. Rev. Bruce D. MacPherson Province VII, Diocese of Western
Louisiana

The Rt. Rev. Harry B. Bainbridge Province VIII, Diocese of Idaho

The Rt. Rev. Lloyd Allen Province IX, Diocese of Honduras

The Rt. Rev. Richard S.O. Chang Vice President, House of Bishops
Province VIII, Diocese of Hawaii