National Church May ‘Retain Interest’ in Virginia Church Properties
12/10/2006

Beginning Dec. 10, eight congregations representing slightly less than 10 percent of communicants in the 90,000-member Diocese of Virginia began voting on whether to leave The Episcopal Church and previously cordial relations between the diocese and the parishes have grown acrimonious.

Last week both sides traded accusations of bad faith and it looks increasingly likely that a Virginia court will be asked to determine who owns title. Churches with congregational votes scheduled are: The Falls Church, the Falls, Truro Church and Church of the Apostles, Fairfax, St. Margaret’s and All Saints’, Woodbridge, St. Stephen’s, Heathsville, Church of the Word, Gainesville and Potomac Falls Church in Sterling.

For the past year, a larger number of congregations, representing as much as 20 percent of communicants, have been following the work of a six-member task force appointed by Virginia Bishop Peter James Lee “to help churches continuing in conflict over the decisions of the 74th General Convention in 2003 to get on with their mission in as close a union as possible with the Diocese.” Last September the task force released its report which acknowledged that some congregations may choose to leave and included a protocol. the rest