The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, became the fourth diocese to secede from the Episcopal Church when delegates voted Saturday to align with the more conservative Anglican Province of the Southern Cone.

Fort Worth follows San Joaquin, Calif., Pittsburgh and Quincy, Ill. in leaving the national church to become part of the Southern Cone, which is based in Argentina.

Episcopal News Service has the story here, and, from my reading, it looks like the vote to secede was closer than it had been in any of the other dioceses.

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has promised to rebuild the diocese with the remaining loyalists.

She said: “The Episcopal Church grieves the departures of a number of persons from the Diocese of Fort. Worth. We remind those former Episcopalians that the door is open if they wish to return. We will work with Episcopalians in the Diocese of Fort Worth to elect new leadership and continue the work of the gospel in that part of Texas. The gospel work to which Jesus calls us demands the best efforts of faithful people from many theological and social perspectives, and The Episcopal Church will continue to welcome that diversity.”

Delaware blogger and Episcopal priest Mark Harris adds up the erstwhile Episcopal secessionists from these four dioceses and finds about 49,350. Then he looks at others who’ve left the national church (like the historic churches in Northern Virginia) and figures that, when all is said and done 7 to 9 percent of the Episcopal Church will have left; one percent will fight to keep their property. Read him parse the numbers here.