[Dr. Sivana]

OH, the Episcopal Church does care in Virginia! Several older Virginia Episcopal parishes voted to split from the national church (ECUSA)[. . . ]

I belive the law by which the departing congregations maintain their property may be unique to VA and not apply elsewhere. But at least for now it’s been upheld as constitutional in the Old Dominion.

I didn't mean the individual congregations don't care, I mean the leadership that ignores the appeals of its members doesn't care (without any real everlasting principle, just their agenda). I went to college in Virginia in the late '80s, and remember "traditional" Episcopal offshoots even then (somewhere between Front Royal and Falls Church, I think).

Since Virginia was Anglican as the official state religion before there was a U S of A, that might account for the special status, yes?

[EDINVA]

The point of my post was that the leadership of ECUSA very much cares about the PROPERTY of the congregations, if not theiur members or their souls. There was an official ‘separation’ from ECUSA in 2006 at 7 parishes in NOVA, including Truro in Fairfax City and Falls Church in (ta da) Falls Church. Both are huge congregations and very wealthy, not to mention very very active.

Actually, the VA law on which the parishes relied to keep their property following the “separation’ was adopted during the Civil War. I have the legal legal opinions that I could FReepmail if you’re interested. Dry stuff but still fascinating to some of us.