Please forward this statement to as many orthodox people within the Episcopal Church that you know, and encourage them to sign on. It will soon be found at the Coalition web site: texascoalition.org. We hope to have you be able to sign on at the web site itself, but that remains to be determined. We are working on it.

Stan Gerber+ (on behalf of the 30 clergy -- and others who were absent)

The statement reads as follows:

We, the undersigned clergy and laity of the Episcopal Church within the Diocese of Texas contend for the "faith once delivered to the saints," and, as disciples of Christ, believe that we are ever constrained by the plain sense of God's Written Word.

We proclaim our allegiance to Jesus Christ, who alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Savior of all who call upon Him, and to His Word - the Bible.

We pledge that we will teach, both in doctrine and ethics, only that which is in accord with the Holy Scriptures. We will work to preserve an authentic witness to Jesus Christ and His Gospel in our parish families and in the communities in which God has most graciously placed us.

We make this statement humbly acknowledging that we are all sinners standing in need of God's mercy and forgiveness offered through the Cross of Christ.

We affirm our identity with the worldwide Anglican Communion, and we are committed to the development of an Anglican Covenant which affirms these beliefs as called for by The Most Rev. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

We look forward to working with our own diocesan bishop, The Rt. Rev. Don Wimberly, and others committed to the same."

END