Posted on 01/19/2007 11:37:07 AM PST by rabscuttle385
VA Churches Respond, Urge Return to Negotiating Table
Anglican District of Virginia leaders urge Episcopal Bishop and Diocese to return to negotiating table
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jim Pierobon, 301-520-1758
FAIRFAX and FALLS CHURCH, Va, Jan. 19 - Two leaders of the Anglican District of Virginia today urged the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and its bishop, the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, to cease both his divisive rhetoric and his march toward the courthouse and instead return to the negotiating table.
"It is still not too late for Bishop Lee and the leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia to stand down from making any more threats against faithful Christians who followed the Diocese of Virginia's protocol for departing congregations, and instead to return to the negotiating table," said Tom Wilson, Senior Warden of The Falls Church and Chairman of the Anglican District. "I still have hope, even now, that we can sit down and reason together."
The Anglican District of Virginia is a growing association of Anglican Churches in Virginia, consisting of 16 worshipping congregations and two emerging church plants. On a typical Sunday, almost 6000 people attend these churches, making Anglican District larger than almost half of the Episcopal dioceses in the United States.
"I am sorry that Bishop Lee seems to have forgotten the conclusions reached by his own Diocesan Reconciliation Commission as well as his own personally-appointed Special Committee led by the diocesan chancellor," said Jim Oakes, Senior Warden of Truro Church and a member of the governing board of the Anglican District. Oakes noted that the Truro vestry had just met last week at the request of the Diocese to appoint its representatives to negotiate with the Diocese and gather information requested by the Diocese. Before the representatives could begin negotiations, the Diocese abruptly reversed its course and terminated negotiations
The Anglican District of Virginia parishes welcome all Episcopalians and others to worship. Following the Anglican tradition, this includes welcoming all baptized Christians to the Lord's Table or Eucharist.
"Bishop Lee's memory seems oddly selective and while that grieves me deeply, I still have hope that he will come to his senses and take seriously the recommendations of both the Reconciliation Commission and the Special Committee. There is still time," Oakes added.
Both the reports from the Diocesan Reconciliation Commission as well as the Bishop's Special Committee are still available for download from the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and have not yet been taken down. "I see that as a sign that as long as the reports are still available to the public there is hope for an amicable settlement," said Oakes. "The facts and our history speak for themselves."
______________________
Jim Pierobon for The Falls Church and Truro Church 301-520-1758
Date: 1/19/2007
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Speak the truth in love. Eph 4:15
Or else they killed his dog and threatened his children.
Never seen such a sudden change of course this side of John Kerry . . .
Lee is gay as a goose and they may have compromising pictures. Rumors for years he had affairs with a series of manly chauffeurs.
Last week (or maybe week before) there was an article in The Washington Times reporting that the new Presiding Bishop and her Chancellor (who also was Enforcer for DC's Bishop Walker) have entered the fray. You can be sure they are putting pressure on Lee to hold on to the valuable Truro and Falls Church real estate for the good of the diocese and ECUSA.
They expressed it somewhat differently .. they were doing it for the children ;). Their interest in holding on to the assets of the local parishes, you see, is only to preserve them for future generations. The way they are headed there won't be too many future generations of Episcopalians.
The truly sad part is that the wealth of Episcopal parishes came from people who belonged to a truly wonderful church they would never recognize thanks to the PC crowd that's run it for the past few decades.
"Hey! Who you callin' gay?"
I had not heard that rumor . . . being sorta out of the VA loop. Whatever, they must have some kind of serious threat to hold over his head, because he did a 180 degree turnaround after lengthy negotiations.
The process had gone on so far and for so long, that I think there may be a detrimental reliance, laches, or fraud claim in Lee's future.
This could get REALLY ugly, REALLY fast. I'm SO glad I'm no longer a Piskie.
And that's the way they like it . . . per Bishopess Schori:
How many members of the Episcopal Church are there in this country?About 2.2 million. It used to be larger percentagewise, but Episcopalians tend to be better-educated and tend to reproduce at lower rates than some other denominations. Roman Catholics and Mormons both have theological reasons for producing lots of children.
Episcopalians aren’t interested in replenishing their ranks by having children?
No. It’s probably the opposite. We encourage people to pay attention to the stewardship of the earth and not use more than their portion.
All Saints in Dale City, VA reached an agreement with the Diocese of Virginia before TEC's national leadership got involved.
I believe that the above twelve churches are affiliated with CANA.
Christ Our Lord in Lake Ridge, VA is affiliated with the Anglican Province of Uganda, Diocese of North Kigezi; South Riding Church in South Riding, VA is affiliated with the Anglican Province of Uganda, Diocese of Ruwenzori.
Church of the Messiah in Chesapeake, VA (formerly in the Diocese of Southern Virginia) is affiliated with the CANA.
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