[ken5050]

No parish that is leaving, or contemplating doing so, has yet responded to threats like this with what I would call the "scorched earth" response. To witr, a two pronged strategy..

1. Take all of the cash presently in the parish accounts and by a unanimous vote of the vestry, donate it to any suitable Anglican charity that meets with everyone's approval. 2. Assume, hypothetically, that the parish ground and strctures are worth $2 million, and are unencumberbered by a loan. ( which would make them most attractive to the diocese and the national church. Well, the parish should take a 50% ($ 1 million) mortgage, non recourse to the vestry, and donate the sum to the same, or other charities...and THEN mail the bishop the keys..

[rabscuttle385]

The letter smacks of extortion, of fear, and of desperation on the part of the Diocese. Perhaps they are scared now that large colonial era churches in Northern Virginia have already seceded from TEC.

TEC's leadership is disintegrating. The end is near for them, and they know it.