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The Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, who has been bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia for 24 years, announced today that he will step down Oct. 1 to make way for a successor who was named in 2007. The diocese, which covers northern and eastern Virginia and includes 80,000 members, is one of the largest in the Episcopal Church, the U.S.-based branch of the global Anglican Communion. Starting this fall the diocese will be overseen by the Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston, 50, an Alabama native who has worked in dioceses in the South and is known for his work...

Dear Friends: The Episcopal Church is in the midst of a challenging time. As in times past, we will get through it and emerge renewed in our faith and refocused on our mission and strengthened for service to our Lord. I regret, however, that there are impatient forces seeking to provoke conflict when humility, respect and patience are in order. In the run up to this weekend you no doubt will read news accounts of the impending visit of the Archbishop of Nigeria the Most Rev. Peter Akinola to preside at a service of installation of the Rt. Rev. Martyn...

Fr. Ashey's Response to Canon III.13 Judgment 20 December 2005 The Right Reverend Peter James Lee The Diocese of Virginia 110 W. Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23320 Dear Bishop Lee, Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I am writing to you in response to the Diocesan Press Release that I received shortly after our phone conversation yesterday. Since the intent of your action and the Standing Committee contradicts the plain language of Canon III.13, let me restate and reiterate the facts: 1) On the first Saturday after the Epiphany 1989 the Right Reverend Frederick H....

Virginia Episcopalians, who at 89,000 make up the country's largest Episcopal diocese, will meet tomorrow and Saturday in Reston to discuss finances and whether the denomination needs to stop ordaining homosexual clergy. [snip]However, several of the diocese's largest — and most conservative parishes — are withholding contributions to the diocese because of the Episcopal Church's decision in August 2003 to ordain a homosexual bishop.     A majority of the Diocese of Virginia's delegates agreed with that vote when it was taken at the church's General Convention.     "The decisions that will be made in the next couple of months will determine...

US parishes defect as gay rift deepens Stephen Bates, religious affairs correspondent Saturday August 28, 2004 The Guardian The leader of the US Episcopal Church told Ugandan Anglican bishops yesterday to keep out of its affairs after three Los Angeles parishes decided to ally themselves with an African diocese in the row over homosexual clergy. The parishes, in Newport Beach, Long Beach and North Hollywood, are the first to seek oversight from a bishop overseas. They have fallen out with the Rt Rev J Jon Bruno, the Bishop of Los Angeles, because of his support for blessing services for gay...

5290 Saratoga Lane Woodbridge, VA 22193-3455 703-670-0093 Fax: 703-878-7015 e-mail: office@allsaintsdalecity.org www.allsaintsdalecity.org The Rev. John A. M. Guernsey, Rector; The Rev. Valarie A. Whitcomb, Associate Rector; Mr. Mario H. Sandoval, Youth Pastor August 12, 2003 The Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee Bishop of Virginia 110 West Franklin St. Richmond, VA 23220 Dear Bishop Lee, On behalf of the Vestry of All Saints’ Church in Dale City, we write to express our great sadness and disappointment over the actions of General Convention in consenting to the election as bishop of a man living in a sexual relationship outside of Holy Matrimony,...

<p>About two dozen Episcopalians, most of them representing two of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Virginia, served notice Wednesday that a proposal to force congregations to finance the cash-strapped diocese could result in a massive walkout.</p> <p>The majority of the 93 Episcopalians who attended a meeting at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax rejected the 22-page plan, some calling it "disastrous" and "appalling."</p>

Peter James Lee was one of the sixty Episcopal bishops who voted to approve the appointment of Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as bishop of New Hampshire. Since the vote, Lee has faced stiff opposition from conservative evangelical churches in his diocese. In his speech to the annual meeting of his diocese, Bishop Lee said this, "If you must make a choice between heresy and schism, always choose heresy." I can think of nothing more dangerous. What Lee is basically saying is that we can tolerate anything within the Church just to keep the Church together. What would cause...

<p>Heresy is better than schism, the Episcopal bishop of Virginia said yesterday in a speech that gently chided church conservatives for imperiling the unity of the country's largest diocese over the consecration of the denomination's first homosexual bishop last November.</p>

Episcopalians rally against gay stance "Plano-East" conference brings more than 3,000 Episcopalians, Conservatives forming network within church Fred and Betty Haeberer of Stafford County said they felt betrayed when the Episcopal Church USA voted to approve an openly gay priest as bishop of New Hampshire. Yesterday, they met with thousands of others who share their concerns over the direction of the church. "Homosexuals are due their civil rights and I am in no way challenging that," said Fred Haeberer, who attends Aquia Episcopal Church near Aquia Harbour. "However, this is a spiritual realm and our church is founded on Scriptures...

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Nearly 3,000 Episcopalians opposed to the church's election of an openly gay bishop last year are gathering in northern Virginia this weekend to discuss a possible formal split in the national Episcopal Church. Bishop Robert Duncan of Pittsburgh, a vocal opponent of the church's recent softening on gay issues, said Friday the "Plano-East Conference" could shore up support for the creation of a new network of parishes within the Episcopal Church. That network could eventually be the sole U.S. Episcopal group recognized by the 77 million-member global Anglican Communion, which also largely opposed the consecration of V....