After Further Review [Has Peter Lee heard from headquarters?]

Midwest Conservative Journal ^ | 12/02/2006 | Christopher Johnson

[sionnsar]

Has Peter Lee heard from headquarters?

First, let me stress that you are a cherished member of this diocese whose historic stance is one often described as a "generous orthodoxy," holding together people with different theological emphases within traditional faith and order. Our diocese’s unambiguous affirmation of the Windsor Report by the Annual Council is a sign of that faithfulness. So I pray you will remain in communion with your brothers and sisters in Virginia and take your full place in the life of the Diocese of Virginia. I hope your parish will weigh the consequences of any decision to leave and consider the long term identity of [your] Church. If [your] Church decides to leave, I believe your successors in the future will regret that decision and its destructive consequences for the whole church.

In late 2005, I appointed a Special Committee to consider how we might remain in as close a union as possible, given the stresses in the church. That committee has issued its unanimous report which outlines some steps for congregations to follow when they believe they must separate from our common life. The report has been distributed to all of our churches. While I believe the report is a useful way forward, which I support, neither the Executive Board nor the Standing Committee has endorsed or approved it and it may not be the only way forward to a mutually acceptable outcome. You should not assume the Episcopal Church will endorse or approve the steps outlined in that report. The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church may well wish to retain its property interests. I have encouraged the Executive Board and the Standing Committee of our diocese to pay close attention to whether congregations that wish to depart have followed the steps outlined in the report and have engaged faithfully in negotiations that meet the needs of each party in each unique situation. The Standing Committee has told me it wishes to meet personally with the leadership of each church that wishes to leave.

I remind you that absent a negotiated settlement of property, an attempt to place your congregation and its real and personal property under the authority of any ecclesial body other than the Diocese of Virginia and the bodies authorized by its canons to hold church property will have repercussions and possible civil liability for individual vestry members.

Lee's consigliere added:

“Along with the damaging effects any split would have on the Diocese as a whole and these churches in particular, we are concerned that these congregations may not fully understand the potential legal consequences of their actions,” said Russell Palmore, chancellor of the Diocese of Virginia. “The decision to leave the Diocese should be a fully informed one.”

The Bishop may not have intended his letter as a threat but Falls Church and Truro Episcopal are taking it that way.

We have read with profound disappointment and sadness Bishop Lee’s December 1 letter to our churches, which has been published on the Diocesan website. This letter appears to undermine months of hard work and prayerful efforts by his own leadership and our congregations to reach agreement on a civil and charitable process by which our differences might be amicably resolved. This grieves us deeply.

The Diocese of Virginia has a long and distinguished history of finding a gracious way through difficult issues in ways that honor our Christian witness to the world. We hope and pray that Bishop Lee, members of the Standing Committee, and other leaders of the diocese will remember that heritage, and will step back from the tragic course they have set for themselves.

We desire to continue to act consistently with the process and protocol of the Special Committee Report, which does not provide for any intervention from the national church, and urge the bishop to meet personally with us at his earliest convenience.

We are communicating our concerns in greater detail to the bishop directly.

A commenter at Stand Firm gets to the heart of it:

Not to cut +Lee any more slack than he deserves, but I’ll bet the figurative knife is pressed to his throat by 815, especially ++Schori and Chancellor Beers. But would they dare to declare his see vacant if he did go by the gracious protocol worked out by the Standing Committee? If only he had the courage and principles!

It's impossible to prove but difficult to escape the notion that Lee was leaned on.  The clumsiness of his letter screams it.  And it also suggests that any separation agreements had better pass muster with New York and that 815 is not likely to be anywhere near as generous as some of its diocesans might wish to be.

Thanks to Allen Lewis.

[sionnsar]

STATEMENT from The Falls Church and Truro Church in response to Bishop Lee's Letter of December 1
BabyBlueOnline, 12/02/2006

STATEMENT FROM THE FALLS CHURCH AND TRURO CHURCH
Saturday, December 2, 2006

We have read with profound disappointment and sadness Bishop Lee’s December 1 letter to our churches, which has been published on the Diocesan website. This letter appears to undermine months of hard work and prayerful efforts by his own leadership and our congregations to reach agreement on a civil and charitable process by which our differences might be amicably resolved. This grieves us deeply.

The Diocese of Virginia has a long and distinguished history of finding a gracious way through difficult issues in ways that honor our Christian witness to the world. We hope and pray that Bishop Lee, members of the Standing Committee, and other leaders of the diocese will remember that heritage, and will step back from the tragic course they have set for themselves.

We desire to continue to act consistently with the process and protocol of the Special Committee Report, which does not provide for any intervention from the national church, and urge the bishop to meet personally with us at his earliest convenience.

We are communicating our concerns in greater detail to the bishop directly.

NOTE FROM BB: Bishop Lee's Dec. 1 Letter is posted at the Diocese of Virginia website here.

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[sionnsar]

From VirtueOnline News:

VOL has been told that a more detailed direct response to Bishop Lee is being prepared.

[rabscuttle385]

As a member of one of the six churches participating in 40 Days of Discernment, I am not surprised.

IMHO, Bishop Lee is scared. He's caught between a rock and a hard place. The Falls Church, Truro, and the other churches will probably leave.

If Bishop Lee lets us go, the Diocese loses a very noticeable chunk of money (not that it makes a difference, since at my church, we stopped giving money to the Diocese years ago). Then, he gets to answer to Jefferts Schori, et al.

If Bishop Lee does not let us go, the fight will get very ugly, very quickly. Neither the Diocese nor the churches can afford the legal bills.

It's time to choose, Bishop Lee. Will you stand with The Lord or with the world?