VIRGINIA: A Statement from the Rt. Rev. Peter James
Lee, Diocesan Bishop

VIRGINIA: A Statement from the Rt. Rev. Peter James
Lee, Diocesan Bishop

December 17, 2006

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 today
have compromised these discussions and have created
Nigerian congregations occupying Episcopal churches.
This is not the future of the Episcopal Church
envisioned by our forebears.

I have called a special joint meeting Monday of the
Executive Board and Standing Committee of the Diocese,
with counsel, 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 interim I have asked the leadership 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. I also have directed diocesan personnel
to work with the leadership of the departing
congregations and with those who wish to remain in the
Episcopal Church to reach agreements for the shared
use of the Church property for the purposes of worship
and other needs until final disposition of the
Church's property can be settled.

I want to be clear on this point: Our polity maintains
that all real and personal property is held in trust
for The Episcopal Church and the Diocese. As stewards
of this historic trust, we fully intend to assert the
Church's canonical and legal rights over these
properties.

Today is indeed a sad day for the Church and for many
in the Church. It is also a day of abundant hope that
in our 400 years as Virginia's oldest Christian
community, the Episcopal Church in Virginia will
continue to serve Christ faithfully by serving his
people.