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Dear Diocesan Family, A panel of the Virginia Supreme Court will hear our petition for appeal on October 21 and, while it is unfortunate that these legal proceedings were necessary, I trust that this hearing will bring us one step closer to resolution. I am proud that the Diocese of Virginia and the Episcopal Church have chosen the path consistently to defend loyal Episcopalians, and to safeguard and to protect the Church's legacy and the Church from unwarranted governmental and legislative interference. It is with the same determination to stand by the people, traditions and legacy of our diocese that...

TRURO — Voters narrowly approved one of four zoning amendments late Tuesday night at the annual town meeting. But town officials were still looking at the exact vote count on that article yesterday. In a vote of 136 to 70, voters passed a new time limit on how quickly a cottage colony, cabin colony, motel or hotel can be converted to condominiums. The new limit requires that those properties be in operation for three years before being converted to condominiums. The idea behind the zoning amendment is to slow the pace of condominium development in Truro and preserve more affordable...

ADV Responds to Appeal by The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia (April 7, 2009) - In response to the appeal in the Virginia church property litigation filed on Tuesday, April 7 by the Diocese of Virginia and The Episcopal Church, the Anglican District of Virginia Vice-Chairman Jim Oakes issued the following statement: "We are saddened that The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia find it necessary to continue this litigation with an appeal filed during Holy Week. The appeal process will cost additional millions of dollars that could be spent on mission and ministry. Both sides have...

A two-year-old church property dispute between Episcopalians and Anglicans appears to be on its way to the Virginia Supreme Court. On Feb. 3, The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia together filed an appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court hoping to overturn a Dec. 19 decision by Fairfax Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows in favor of the Anglican District of Virginia, known as ADV. On Feb. 10, the Episcopal appeal was followed by a motion asking for an exception to the Supreme Court's limit of 35 pages in appeal cases. The property dispute originally arose as a result of...

BabyBlue has the story here and here. The entire resolution reads as follows: R-4a Integrity of Committing Relationships RESOLVED, that the Diocese of Virginia recognizes our responsibility to respond to the pastoral needs of our faithful gay and lesbian members in a spirit of love, compassion and respect, and in doing so seek to fulfill our baptismal commitment to respect the dignity of every human being; and be it further RESOLVED, that accordingly the 214th Annual Council of the Diocese of Virginia affirms the inherent integrity of and blessededness of committed Christian relationships between two adult persons, when those relationships...

McLEAN, Va. (AP) — Nearly a dozen conservative church congregations in Virginia have won a lawsuit in which they sought to split from the U.S. Episcopal Church in a dispute over theology and homosexuality. The final rulings came Friday from a Fairfax County judge who said the departing congregations are allowed under Virginia law to keep their church buildings and other property as they leave the Episcopal Church and realign under the authority of conservative Anglican bishops from Africa. Several previous rulings had also gone in favor of the departing congregations. The diocese said it will appeal. Eleven Virginia congregations...

A Fairfax County judge dealt the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia a third defeat in their efforts to retain millions of dollars of church property being held by 11 breakaway congregations. On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Randy I. Bellows ruled on whether the U.S. Constitution's contracts clause applies to the case and whether the breakaway churches had the right to invoke what's been termed the "division statute," an 1867 law that allows a majority of a breakaway church to retain the property. ... The diocese and the Episcopal Church had asserted in an Aug. 11 hearing that even if...

A Statement from the Virginia Annual Council of the United Methodist Church July 11, 2008 On June 27, 2008, the Circuit Court of Fairfax County declared constitutional—as applied to the case before it—a Virginia statute which gives ownership of church property to breakaway congregations of a church denomination, which for years had held the property in trust for the purpose of worship within the denomination, according to denominational doctrine. The statute, known as the “Division Statute,” was enacted by the Virginia legislature only a few years after the end of the Civil War, and was used then as a vehicle...

Episcopal parishes awarded property, assets By Julia Duin April 4, 2008 A Fairfax circuit judge has awarded a favorable judgment to a group of 11 Anglican churches that were taken to court last fall after breaking away from the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in late 2006. In an 83-page opinion released late last night, Judge Randy Bellows ruled that Virginia's Civil War-era “division statute” granting property to departing congregations applies to the Northern Virginia congregations, which are now part of the Nigerian-administered Convocation of Anglicans in North America.

"The Court agrees that it was major divisions such as those within the Methodist and Presbyterian churches that prompted the passage of 57-9. However, it blinks at reality to characterize the ongoing division within the Diocese, ECUSA, and the Anglican Communion as anything but a division of the first magnitude..."

Nigerian Archbishop Peter J. Akinola will preside at a ceremony at a church in Herndon as four new bishops are consecrated today to serve the Convocation of Anglicans in North America. (Agence France-Presse) A new breakaway Anglican group of 11 churches that left the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over theological differences less than a year ago met last week for its first annual convention. Four new bishops will be consecrated at 2 p.m. today to serve the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), which includes 61 member congregations siphoned from the Episcopal Church. Nigerian Archbishop Peter J. Akinola will...

But for Julia Duin of the Washington Times, [and here's the link to her latest with lots of great details], and BabyBlue, none of us Episcopalians would know a thing about any of this. Thank God for bloggers and the Internet and this reporter. I will be emailing out the stories to all of my Episcopal friends, and I hope others will too. . . . Because . . . they sure won't learn the details from ENS or a friendly diocesan newsletter. And you know, I don't have any idea who will win in this lawsuit -- and it...

Dear CANA Friends, Over the past few days Angela, Rachel, and I have had the joyful privilege of taking part in the consecration of three new bishops from Kenya and Uganda to serve in the USA. We were there, along with representatives from most of the provinces of the Global South, to demonstrate our solidarity with each of these new bishops and their families as they begin their ministries. The actual services were exuberant celebrations attended by thousands and both lasted approximately five hours! They were also important milestones in our effort to build a united, biblically based, missionary-minded expression...

As you may have heard, we had a preliminary hearing on Friday, August 10, in court, at which the court heard arguments on our demurrers and pleas in bar. (Our demurrer asserted that even if everything The Episcopal Church claims is true, they still would have no case. The plea in bar argued that vestry members are immune from suit for actions taken in an official capacity as volunteers). After extensive argument over the plea of statutory immunity, the court was prepared to rule but suggested that the parties work out an agreement. After recess, the Diocese of Virginia and...

Nova Scotia Mayor Refuses to Fly Gay Flag Because of Christian Beliefs Deputy mayor says, "I don't think it's the position of the municipality to celebrate anybody's sexual orientation" By Elizabeth O'Brien TRURO, Nova Scotia, August 7, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The mayor of a Nova Scotia community has refused to fly the homosexual rainbow flag because it contradicts his Christian beliefs. The city council supported the decision. Halifax's Chronicle Herald (CH) reports that on Friday the mayor and the six city councilors of Truro, NS, voted informally 6 to 1 against flying the trademark rainbow flag of the homosexual movement...

A leader for 19 churches that have left The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the Diocese of Virginia and affiliated with two orthodox African Anglican provinces, says that the Episcopal Church's "terrorizing tactics" will fail and the volunteer laity of those churches being sued by the diocese are immune from civil liability. Jim Oakes, vice-chairman of the Anglican District of Virginia for 15 Convocation of Anglican Nigerians in Americas (CANA) affiliated churches plus four with the Province of Uganda, told VirtueOnline, "We are supremely confident with what we have done and with the right motives. We have already won. The legal...

The mother of all lawsuits pitting Episcopalian against Anglican kicks off today in the red-brick confines of Fairfax County Circuit Court. The case has amassed numerous court filings involving 11 churches, two dozen lawyers, 107 individuals, the 90,000-member Diocese of Virginia, the 2.3 million-member Episcopal Church and the 18.5 million-member Anglican Province of Nigeria. The Episcopal Church and its Virginia Diocese are suing 11 churches, their clergy and lay leaders for leaving the diocese last winter in order to join the Nigerian province. Since the 2003 consecration of the openly homosexual New Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson, conservatives have been...

(from the CANA website (www.canaconvocation.org )) Letter from The Most Revd. Peter J Akinola 2nd May, 2007 The Rt. Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Episcopal Church Center 815 Second Avenue New York, NY 10017, USA My dear Presiding Bishop: My attention has been drawn to your letter of April 30th ostensibly written to me but published on the Episcopal News Service website. In light of the concerns that you raise it might be helpful to be reminded of the actions and decisions that have led to our current predicament. At the emergency meeting of the Primates in October 2003 it was...

One of the things that makes Titusonenine the amazing blog that it is, is our amazing commenters. One of our Virginia readers, William Sulik, has compiled a great list of links with background and various legal precedents that may be of interest to those following the developing legal battle in the Diocese of Virginia. This is posted in the comments below, but at Kendall’s request, we’re highlighting it here on the main blog As mentioned yesterday, here is my “Compendium of Posts regarding the Law in Virginia.” ¶ Set forth below, is a collection of the most relevant posts, in...

The Diocese of Virginia has filed suit in various legal jurisdictions regarding real and personal property claims made by 11 congregations where the majority of the membership recently voted to leave The Episcopal Church. The 11 new complaints seeking court action with respect to the real and personal property now held by the 11 congregations were preceded by legal filings last week in which the diocese objected to any transfer of property, citing both Virginia law and the canons of the diocese and the General Convention. Following the votes to separate, eight of the congregations initiated proceedings in their respective...

The Episcopal Church, in consultation with the Diocese of Virginia, regrets the recent votes by members of some congregations in Virginia to leave this Church. We wish to be clear, however, that while individuals have the right and privilege to depart or return at any time, congregations do not. Congregations exist because they are in communion with the bishop of a diocese, through recognition by diocesan governing bodies (diocesan synods, councils, or conventions). Congregations cannot unilaterally disestablish themselves or remove themselves from a diocese. In addition, by canon law, property of all sorts held by parishes is held and must...

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...

January 18, 2007 Diocesan Leadership Declares Church Property ‘Abandoned’ For release: Thursday, January 18, 2007 Contact: Patrick Getlein 1-800-346-2373 x 30 Today, January 18, 2007, the Executive Board of the Diocese of Virginia took a step forward in preserving the mission and ministry of the Diocese and the Episcopal Church for current and future generations of Episcopalians and adopted a resolution concerning the property of 11 Episcopal Churches where a majority of members – including the vestry and clergy – have left The Episcopal Church but have not relinquished Church property and have continued to occupy the churches and use...

VirtueOnline is reporting that Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia has been vandalized. Truro was one of several parishes that voted to break away from TEC last month to join CANA, a mission of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican). Picture below. See article for more pictures.

VirtueOnline reported last night that the Diocese of Virginia may be reneging on its protocol for departing congregations and may pursue litigation after Jan. 17, 2007 against The Falls Church, Truro Church, and other churches that voted to depart TEC and join CANA in December 2006 parish votes. The Diocese will not renew a thirty-day standstill on litigation or property transfers. The announcement followed a meeting between Diocesan leadership and David Booth Beers, chancellor of The Episcopal Church. TEC has indicated that it will intervene on behalf of the Diocese. From The Episcopal Church & The Diocese of Virginia: Jan....

As The Episcopal Church (TEC) finds itself cracking apart, the question on everybody's mind is: "Can departing churches keep their property?" The answer: It depends. Courts differ in how they handle church property disputes. State corporate laws governing property ownership, deeds, and trusts are far from uniform and may be subject to conflicting interpretations. So, as litigation looms, attorneys on all sides are busy researching case law and assembling briefs. Many denominations have clauses declaring that property owned by congregations is held in trust for the denomination: A church is free to leave, but not with its property. For many...

The New York Times: Episcopal Parishes in Virginia Vote to Secede. Reuters: Virginia churches break from U.S. Episcopal Church.The Washington Times: 8 Virginia flocks break away.The Richmond Times-Dispatch: Seven Va. Episcopal churches break away. Ruth Gledhill has comments on her blog here.An article in the Guardian is there.The Telegraph has an article here.A press release from the diocese of Virginia deserves to be quoted in full: News Update from the Diocese of Virginia Yesterday, Sunday, December 17, eight churches in the Diocese of Virginia announced that a majority of the voting members of the congregation had voted to separate from...

As The Episcopal Church (TEC) finds itself cracking apart, the question on everybody's mind is: "Can departing churches keep their property?" The answer: It depends. Courts differ in how they handle church property disputes. State corporate laws governing property ownership, deeds, and trusts are far from uniform and may be subject to conflicting interpretations. So, as litigation looms, attorneys on all sides are busy researching case law and assembling briefs. Many denominations have clauses declaring that property owned by congregations is held in trust for the denomination: A church is free to leave, but not with its property. For many...

December 17, 2006 A Statement from the Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee, Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia Today a small number of congregations in the Diocese of Virginia announced that they have voted to separate from the Episcopal Church and affiliate with the Church of Nigeria and Bishop Akinola. I am saddened by this development. The leadership of the Diocese of Virginia has labored for three years to seek another course that would have maintained the integrity of the church and the spirit of inclusiveness that has been a hallmark of the Diocese and the Anglican Communion. The votes...

The Falls Church and Truro Church in Northern Virginia announced the results of their week-long votes this afternoon: an "overwhelming" number (90% at The Falls Church and 92% at Truro) voted to sever ties to TEC and The Diocese of Virginia AND retain parish property. Excerpts from VirtueOnline coverage:"In packed parishes, with standing room only at both services, the two churches were told that they had voted overwhelmingly to leave, with Falls Church parishioners voting 90 percent to leave the denomination and a second vote of 97 percent to retain the church properties. The Rev. John Yates made the announcement...

"We are not living in a world where all roads are radii of a circle and where all, if followed long enough, will therefore draw gradually nearer and finally meet at the centre: rather, in a world where every road, after a few miles, forks into two, and each of those into two again, and at each fork you must make a decision." This is an opening line from The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. Making decisions is hard for most of us. Sometimes we freeze when confronted with difficult choices especially when we recognize that the consequences will be...

Truro Episcopal Church, which once included George Washington among its vestrymen, and The Falls Church, two of the oldest Episcopal churches in Virginia and the country, have both decided that they've had enough: In a congregational meeting Sunday afternoon, Nov 12, the Vestry of Truro Church, Fairfax, announced to their parish that they unanimously recommend that Truro should sever its ties to The Episcopal Church (TEC) and remain as full members of the Anglican Communion by joining the Anglican District of Virginia Anglicans in the Convocation for Anglicans in North America (CANA). On the following Monday, Nov. 13, the Vestry...

Virginia Episcopal Bishop Peter J. Lee announced yesterday that he and the newly consecrated Anglican Bishop Martyn Minns have failed to reach an agreement on allowing the new bishop to minister in the Virginia diocese. Consecrated on Aug. 20 in Abuja, Nigeria, Bishop Minns continues to lead Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, one of several parishes considering leaving the diocese over the Episcopal Church's 2003 decision to consecrate the openly homosexual V. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. On Sept. 17, Truro starts a "40 Days of Discernment" process on whether to leave the diocese. Bishop Lee indicated in...

RICHMOND, VA: Virginia cleric to lead new Anglican group Assumption of bishop's post in Nigeria today could add to tensions in church BY SHAUN BISHOP TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Aug 20, 2006 Fairfax congregation could leave U.S. Episcopal Church A conservative Episcopal rector from Northern Virginia is in Nigeria today to assume leadership of a new organization that could complicate the already simmering tensions in the Episcopal Church. The U.S. church has faced a polarization among some of its 2.3 million members since the consecration of the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, an openly gay man, as bishop of the New Hampshire...

Two of Northern Virginia's largest and most historic Episcopal churches -- Truro and the Falls Church -- informed Virginia Bishop Peter J. Lee yesterday that they plan to leave the diocese and that as many as two dozen other parishes may follow suit. And the Rev. Martyn Minns, rector of Truro Church, was elected a bishop yesterday by the Anglican province of Nigeria with the mandate to oversee a cluster of U.S. parishes that minister to expatriate Nigerians. Mr. Minns was driving north on Interstate 95 from Richmond when he got the news on his cell phone from Anglican Archbishop...

Washington Times reported this morning that Truro & Falls Church planned to leave the diocese. NOT SO according to the two churches. In this morning's Washington Times, Julia Duin reported, "Two of Northern Virginia's largest and most historic Episcopal churches -- Truro and the Falls Church -- informed Virginia Bishop Peter J. Lee yesterday that they plan to leave the diocese and that as many as two dozen other parishes may follow suit." A statement on the Falls Church web site says, "This certainly is not true and misrepresents where we are as a congregation. It is true that we...

Dear Friends:A number of you have asked about the editorial “Gospel of Intolerance” that appeared in the Washington Post last Sunday, February 26. It was written by John Chane, Bishop of Washington, and was a very pointed attack on the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Akinola, and, by implication, those in this country who align themselves with him.While there are a number of related points raised in the editorial the underlying issue is the proposed legislation in Nigeria with regard to Same-Sex Marriage. If enacted, this legislation would include the possibility of a jail sentence for those who...

The Washington Post reported yesterday on the installation of the Rev. Samuel Lloyd as the new dean of the Washington National Cathedral.      I am not surprised by what Rev. Lloyd said at his installation.  I am not surprised that readings from the Koran were included.  I suspect that this is a reflection of the 'new thing' that the 'spirit' (whatever that is) is doing in the Diocese of Washington.   I've been in the National Cathedral and estimate that it can seat a couple of thousand people.  The Post article said that 'hundreds' came to this installation service.  (And at...

A Cape Cod garbage man was charged with murder and rape Friday in the 2002 stabbing death of fashion writer Christa Worthington, whose mysterious slaying turned a national spotlight on the isolated outer Cape town of Truro.

Bill Boniface has attended St. Thomas's Episcopal in the Diocese of Washington for more than eight years and has been senior warden twice. But because his parish refuses to face the issues ravaging the church, and with his parish doggedly refusing to take a stand on anything, he resigned. He and his wife Susan will now be attending Truro Episcopal Church, an evangelical parish in the Diocese of Virginia. He remains on friendly terms with his rector the Rev. Dr. Hugh Brown III, a revisionist priest. Here in his farewell letter as Senior Warden he tell his story why he...

CHERRY HILL, NJ (11/21/2004)--A leader in the orthodox wing of the Episcopal Church says evangelical Episcopalians must stand together, build new networks and friendships and be prepared for whatever the worst revisionist bishops do and fight back. Speaking at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Cherry Hill, on Sunday, Canon Martyn Minns, rector of the 2,500-strong Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia said that unless ECUSA repents some sort of North American provincial realignment was "inevitable." He also pointed out that the Network (NACDP) was recognized by the Church of Nigeria and the other African provinces as their partner in the USA during...

Carey tour adds to US fears of gay schism By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, will provoke a fresh storm over homosexuality in the Church next month by blessing hundreds of American traditionalists who are boycotting their own pro-gay bishop. This high-profile intervention by Lord Carey will highlight the growing polarisation in the worldwide Anglican community over the issue and will be criticised as "back-seat driving" by supporters of his successor at Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. It will also raise the temperature of the debate weeks before the publication of the final report by...

<p>About two dozen Episcopalians, most of them representing two of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Virginia, served notice Wednesday that a proposal to force congregations to finance the cash-strapped diocese could result in a massive walkout.</p> <p>The majority of the 93 Episcopalians who attended a meeting at Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax rejected the 22-page plan, some calling it "disastrous" and "appalling."</p>

<p>The pastor of a Capitol Hill Episcopal parish has challenged the Diocese of Washington with a resolution rebuking same-sex "marriage," and a debate scheduled in his church was canceled yesterday after documents were stolen and trashed.</p> <p>A draft of the one-page statement, which was presented Saturday to members at Calvary Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill, declares that "Holy Scripture does not support giving God's blessing to a sexual relationship outside marriage, be that relationship homosexual or heterosexual" and that "councils of the Episcopal Church have, and sometimes will, err."</p>

<p>Heresy is better than schism, the Episcopal bishop of Virginia said yesterday in a speech that gently chided church conservatives for imperiling the unity of the country's largest diocese over the consecration of the denomination's first homosexual bishop last November.</p>

<p>Episcopal conservatives, making good on their threats to form an ecclesiastical and legal shelter for theologically orthodox believers, meet today and tomorrow in a Dallas suburb to hammer out the details.</p> <p>About 120 people, including bishops and representatives from 12 dioceses, will gather at Christ Episcopal Church in Plano to draw a charter for a "Network of Anglican Communion Dioceses and Parishes."</p>

Episcopalians rally against gay stance "Plano-East" conference brings more than 3,000 Episcopalians, Conservatives forming network within church Fred and Betty Haeberer of Stafford County said they felt betrayed when the Episcopal Church USA voted to approve an openly gay priest as bishop of New Hampshire. Yesterday, they met with thousands of others who share their concerns over the direction of the church. "Homosexuals are due their civil rights and I am in no way challenging that," said Fred Haeberer, who attends Aquia Episcopal Church near Aquia Harbour. "However, this is a spiritual realm and our church is founded on Scriptures...

<p>The northern tier of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, the country's largest diocese at 86,527 adherents, is in an ecclesiastical civil war with its Richmond-based bishop, the Rt. Rev. Peter J. Lee.</p> <p>His largest, richest and most conservative parishes are putting out signals that they may secede from the diocese, beginning with $262,000 in financial pledges withheld from the diocese's annual $4.7 million budget.</p>

<p>OXFORD, England &#8212; Conservative Episcopalians say the majority of the world's Anglican archbishops will support their efforts this week to punish the Episcopal Church for elevating a practicing homosexual to the post of bishop.</p> <p>Starting tomorrow, the world's Anglican primates, or leaders of the various national churches, will be at Lambeth Palace in London for a showdown meeting over the Aug. 5 ratification of Canon V. Gene Robinson, a homosexual, as Episcopal bishop of New Hampshire.</p>

The letter below was sent to Truro parishioners on August 14, 2003.                                                                                                                                   August 14, 2003Dear Friends,We had an extraordinary parish meeting last Sunday in response to the actions of General Convention.  A number of presentations were made and many questions were asked.  I am very grateful for the more than 500 who were present, including a number of visitors from other area churches.  The atmosphere was somber and concerned, with strong emotions of sadness and grief just below the surface.Let me restate my opening comments:• The policies and teaching of Truro Church will not be changed by the...