Posted on 12/19/2006 8:22:54 AM PST by sionnsar
[Episcopal News Service] Bishop Peter Lee of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia said December 17 that he was saddened by the fact that, as of that afternoon, Nigerian and Ugandan congregations were "occupying Episcopal churches." Lee's statement came as eight of Virginia's 195 congregations announced that their members had voted to sever ties with the Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Anglican Church of Uganda or the Anglican Church of Nigeria by way of the Anglican District of Virginia, part of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA). The members of the eight congregations amount to about 8,000 of the diocese's roughly 90,000 Episcopalians. The Episcopal Church includes some 7,200 congregations in its 100 domestic dioceses, and about 150 in its 10 overseas dioceses and one convocation.
The full text of Lee's statement is available here. "We are saddened when individuals decide they must leave the Episcopal Church, for we are diminished when any brother or sister departs from the community," Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in reply to a reporter's inquiry late last week. "We live in a time and a society that is easily drawn to polarities. These departures are taking place in most mainline denominations, and are an expression of the anxiety of our times and the discomfort many people feel in trying to live in tension. Anglicanism has always held that living in the tension of comprehensiveness is our vocation. God gives us a gift in the midst of that diversity, and we more fully know both truth and God's will for us when we are able to embrace that diversity. The quick fix embraced in drawing lines or in departing is not going to be an ultimate solution for our discomfort." The Associated Press reported that the vote margins were 90 percent at The Falls Church, Falls Church and 92 percent at Truro Church, Fairfax.
Lee said he will convene a joint meeting of the diocese's Executive Board and Standing Committee of the Diocese, with legal representation, on December 18 "to consider the full range of pastoral, canonical and legal obligations of the Church and our responsibilities to those faithful Episcopalians in these congregations who do not choose to associate with the Church of Nigeria." In the meantime, Lee said, he has asked the leaders of "these now Nigerian and Ugandan congregations occupying Episcopal churches to keep the spiritual needs of all concerned uppermost in their minds at this difficult moment in our Church history, especially continuing Episcopalians." He said that he will direct diocesan personnel to work with departing members and those who remain loyal to the Episcopal Church to work out agreements about sharing congregational property until those disputes can be settled. "Our polity maintains that all real and personal property is held in trust for The Episcopal Church and the Diocese," Lee continued. "As stewards of this historic trust, we fully intend to assert the Church's canonical and legal rights over these properties." According to the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, dioceses are created or dissolved only by acts of General Convention (Articles V and VI) and dioceses create or dissolve Episcopal congregations in their midst. Congregational property is held in trust for the diocese, and the diocese holds property in trust for the wider church (Canon I.7.4 of the Episcopal Church). Canon 15.1 of Virginia's diocesan canons concurs with the national canons. Patrick Getlein, secretary of the diocese, said the congregations that were due to announce their vote tallies on December 17 are Church of the Apostles, Fairfax; Church of the Word, Gainesville; Potomac Falls Episcopal Church, Sterling; St. Margaret's, Woodbridge; St. Stephen's, Heathsville; St. Paul's, Haymarket; The Falls Church, Falls Church; and Truro Church, Fairfax.
Two other congregations have announced their intentions to put Episcopal membership to a future vote, Getlein said. They are Church of the Epiphany, Herndon, and Our Saviour, Oatlands.
Four Virginia congregations had previously announced their disaffiliation with the diocese, according to Getlein. They are All Saints, Dale City; Christ Our Lord Anglican Church, Lake Ridge; Church of the Holy Spirit, Ashburn; and South Riding Episcopal Church, Fairfax.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. VIRGINIA: Property Commission Established by Bishop Peter Lee
Diocesan Leaders to Reach Out to All Episcopalians
Property Commission also established
December 18, 2006
Contact: Patrick Getlein
1-800 346-2373 x30
The leadership of the Diocese of Virginia today took steps to reach out to the Episcopalians who remain in each church where the majority membership has decided to leave the Episcopal Church. The Diocese will support those members as the continuation of the Episcopal Church in their communities, while also authorizing a standstill agreement with those who have chosen to leave to avoid litigation for a period of 30 days.
"Our primary concern is for the membership of the Diocese of Virginia," said the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia. “In some of our churches where that membership has now been significantly reduced, there are faithful Episcopalians who need to be given every encouragement to establish structures necessary for their continuity as the Episcopal Church.â€
Under the standstill agreement with departing members, both sides have agreed not to initiate any litigation for a period of 30 days, and the departing members have agreed not to attempt to transfer Church property.
In addition, the Executive Board and Standing Committee authorized the Bishop to explore all options with the Episcopalians who remain and to take appropriate actions for their support and full participation in the life of the Diocese.
The Executive Board, Standing Committee and Bishop also established a Property Commission charged with addressing matters of real and personal property on behalf of the Diocese.
The Bishop made the following appointments to the Property Commission: David Charlton, Grace, Kilmarnock, Chair Brad Davenport, Counsel Kevin McCusty, Counsel Rodney Page, Executive Board Don Metheny, Executive Board The Rev. Melana Nelson Amaker, Standing Committee The Rev. David May, Standing Committee.
The Property Commission will meet with departing members to discuss real and personal property matters on a case-by-case basis and will make recommendations to the Standing Committee, Executive Board and Bishop for their consideration.
"As I have said previously, our polity maintains that all real and personal property is held in trust for The Episcopal Church and the Diocese," said Bishop Lee. "As stewards of this historic trust, we fully intend to assert the Church’s canonical and legal rights over these properties. The members of the Property Commission are charged with addressing those matters on behalf of the Diocese on a case by case basis."
http://www.thediocese.net/press/pressroom.shtml
""We live in a time and a society that is easily drawn to polarities. These departures are taking place in most mainline denominations, and are an expression of the anxiety of our times and the discomfort many people feel in trying to live in tension. Anglicanism has always held that living in the tension of comprehensiveness is our vocation. God gives us a gift in the midst of that diversity, and we more fully know both truth and God's will for us when we are able to embrace that diversity. The quick fix embraced in drawing lines or in departing is not going to be an ultimate solution for our discomfort."
She certainly has the spin down pat.
I would guess that these disaffiliating parishes probably see a consistently high number of weekly communicants - i.e. they have 1,000 people on the books and see about 700 or more in church on any given Sunday, while the others may have 439 on the books but probably see less than 220 on any given Sunday if VA is consistent with the national Episcopal average.
That would imply that one out of every six active Episcopalians in VA is disaffiliating and yet they are retaining less than one-twentieth of the diocesan assets.
However, the quick fix in violating centuries of doctrine and tradition by approving the election of a bishop who openly engages in homosexual behavior ... THAT quick fix is a good thing.
The rule is simple: MY quick fix, good. YOUR quick fix, bad.
You've got that right!
"I would guess that these disaffiliating parishes probably see a consistently high number of weekly communicants - i.e. they have 1,000 people on the books and see about 700 or more in church on any given Sunday, while the others may have 439 on the books but probably see less than 220 on any given Sunday if VA is consistent with the national Episcopal average."
If Falls Church, et al., are like typical Evangelical churches, they get more attenders than members. E.g., my church has about 1,000 members but about 1,5000 to 2,000 people in the pews in Sunday services. It's a mark of a growing and living church as new people are being brought in.
The typical Episcopal Church is the reverse, maybe 150 members on the books, but only 30-60 show up for church.
In the early 1700s, Truro and Falls Churches were established. In the late 1800s, they took formal status as members of the Diocese. In 1979, the diocese claimed it owned all assets of member churches. And that claim is the only document that the writers find relevant.
In the early 1700s, Truro and Falls Churches were established. In the late 1800s, they took formal status as members of the Diocese. In 1979, the diocese claimed it owned all assets of member churches. And that claim is the only document that the writers find relevant.
"Our polity maintains that all real and personal property is held in trust for The Episcopal Church and the Diocese,"
My polity maintains that I am Emperor of France. Try getting it upheld in a court of law.
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