"We are not going to cross boundaries in this. If (TEC dioceses) want to leave, then they've made their decision, and the doors are open - but only those who have taken the steps to walk away from the Episcopal Church" -- Bishop Gregory Venables, Province of the Southern Cone.

Dear Brothers and Sisters
www.virtueonline.org
11/16/2007

It is being called the biggest property fight in Christendom, perhaps the biggest church property clash in American religious history.

Tens of millions of dollars of Virginia real estate are at stake in a trial that began this week in Fairfax County Circuit Court where priests, members of bitterly divided churches, and lawyers filled the pews.

The trial comes almost a year after the majority of congregants in 15 traditional Episcopal churches voted to leave the national church because of disagreements about the nature of God and salvation as well as whether gay men and lesbians should be fully accepted. Northern Virginia has since become one of the most active areas in the country for the conservative, breakaway movement. C lergy around the country are watching this trial to see what happens to Episcopalians who want to leave -- and take church properties with them.

Here is the critical legal code: Code of Virginia, Sec. 57-9, provides: "If a division ... shall ... occur in a church or religious society, to which any such congregation whose property is held by trustees is attached, the members of such congregation over 18 years of age may, by a vote of a majority of the whole number, determine to which branch of the church or society such congregation shall thereafter belong. Such determination shall be reported to the circuit court... and if the determination be approved by the court, it shall be so entered in the court's civil order book, and shall be conclusive as to the title to and control of any property held in trust for such congregation..."

The Anglican District of Virginia belongs to a larger organization called the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, (CANA), a missionary branch of the Church of Nigeria. These are orthodox Anglicans in Virginia who are on trial to retain ownership of their buildings and assets against an overwhelming, all powerful rich denomination that believes it has every right to retain properties they neither built, owned or possessed.

The Diocese of Virginia argues that the governing body of the Episcopal Church "has not formally divided the church or the diocese" and that in a hierarchical church, state law requires a showing that the property conveyance is the wish of the church authorities.

While this story is not getting much national media attention, it is a crucial test case not only for Episcopalians, but all major denominations who claim they hold the properties. It i s important not only for the number of defendants, but also because it will test key concepts regarding how a state's judicial system applies civil law to matters normally relegated to the church.

In late-breaking news it has been disclosed that Mrs. Katherine Jefferts Schori,Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, FORCED the Diocese of Virginia to sue 11 churches that broke away a year ago over disagreements on biblical authority and the 2003 consecration of a homosexual bishop. She told Virginia Bishop Peter Lee that she could not support negotiations for property sale if the congregations intended to set up as other parts of the Anglican Communion on US soil.

VOL is posting stories daily to the website www.virtueonline.org and you can read the latest in today's digest. The trial is scheduled to run for six days.

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The week also saw a major face off between Mrs. Jefferts Schori, the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop and FT. WORTH Bishop Jack Iker. She wrote him a letter similar to the one she wrote to Pittsburgh Bishop Bob Duncan telling him in no uncertain language that if he did not recede from the direction of taking his diocese out of The Episcopal Church and lead the diocese on a new course (back to TEC) she would use what she called "appropriate canonical steps" which means using ecclesiastic and legal means to bring the diocese back in line.

Bishop Iker fired back a letter of his own accusing her of interfering in the internal life of his diocese, intimidation, antagonism, failure to hear his and his clergy's theological concerns, aggression, dictatorial posturing, and concluded his remarks by saying "your threats ...do not frighten us. We will continue to stand firm for the unchanging truth of the Holy Scriptures and the redeeming Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whatever the costs." You can read his letter here or in today's digest: http://tinyurl.com/2sa4cy

To cap it off the diocese will probably join the Southern Cone. The following resolution will be considered by the Diocesan Synod of Fort Worth on November 16 and 17, 2007. "Whereas: It is the resolve of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth to remain within the family of the Anglican Communion while dissociating itself from the moral, theological, and disciplinary innovations of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America; And whereas, the Synod of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, meeting Nov. 5-7, 2007, voted to welcome into membership of our Province on an emergency and pastoral basis those dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America who share this resolve;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the 25th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth extend its sincere thanks to the Synod of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, and to its Primate, the Most Reverend Gregory J. Venables, for the generous and fraternal invitation to join their Province; And, be it further resolved, that the Bishop and Standing Committee prepare a report for this diocese on the constitutional and canonical implications and means of accepting this invitation."

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In the DIOCESE OF COLORADO, Bishop Rob O'Neill turned up the heat on Fr. Don Armstrong, the orthodox priest who fled the liberal diocese for an orthodox jurisdiction, by asking the court to add 18 people to the diocese's existing countersuit, which is seeking monetary damages as well as repossession of the church. The diocese's action is part of a lawsuit already under way to determine the rightful owner of the historic, multimillion-dollar church property located in the central part of Colorado Springs. Armstrong fired back some choice words at O'Neill which you can read in my exclusive story here or in today's digest: http://tinyurl.com/2cwhfb

A headline in the Episcopal News Service screamed: "COLORADO: Diocese seeks repossession of Colorado Springs church property." Repossession is a curious term. Did the diocese lend the parish money, and did the parish subsequently default on the loan? Also, repossession implies taking back that which the repossessor had owned in the first instance. Only in the topsy-turvy world of TEC would that be the case!

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There will be no lesbian bishop for the DIOCESE OF CHICAGO. The Rev. Tracey Lind lost her bid Saturday to be the second openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church and the first female bishop of its Chicago diocese. The Rev. Jeffrey D. Lee, rector of St. Thomas Church in Medina, Wash., won the election to lead the 40,000-plus member diocese. Ms. Lind garnered a mere 17 votes. The diocese dodged that bullet thus saving Mrs. Jefferts Schori from having to make a decision that would have undoubtedly caused the Archbishop of Canterbury even more of a headache than he already has. You can read that story in today's digest.

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In the DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT there is good news to report, but not from the diocese. Christ & The Epiphany Church, under the Rev. Gil Wilkes, which recently withdrew from the diocese announced this week that as of the October 14 some 60% of the membership of what is now Christ Church Anglican in East Haven CT averages about 100 each Sunday with services at 8 am and 10 am. They worship at Moore Elementary School in East Haven. They have come under the ecclesiastical authority of CANA. If you live near there and hold to the faith once delivered, please feel free to join him and his parish. The Rev. Gil would love to see you.

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THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH is out of control, according to one of its most distinguished seminary presidents. The Rev. Dr. Robert S. Munday has written a scathing indictment of the current situation in TEC saying the silence from Lambeth Palace is deafening! You can read his condemnation of Schori and Williams here: http://tinyurl.com/38kxdd

I have written my own take on the global situation, "Countdown for Rowan Williams" which you can read here or in today's digest: http://tinyurl.com/2qxb4e

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The DIOCESE OF EL CAMINO REAL elected the Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves to be their 12th bishop. She is California's first female Episcopal bishop. She was ordained in Saratoga. She is also the first female bishop ordained by Mrs. Jefferts Schori since the latter was elected last year as head of the national Episcopal Church. The diocese has 12,000 members, but Sunday attendance today is 5,200, down from 6,500 in 2000. It is projected to reach 4,400 by 2009 unless something reverses that trend. Attendance is shrinking while the surrounding population swells. Gray-Reeves has asked each of the diocese's 50 parishes to think of new ideas for revitalizing the church. "We've got nothing to lose," she says, "so we can try anything." She should try preaching the gospel. I'm told it actually transforms lives, but don't count on it being one of the suggestions for that inclusive diocese. The same decline is also being experienced in Nevada where the population soars while the Episcopal diocese goes into decline.

In an interview at her consecration, Mrs. Jefferts Schori said she hoped that acceptance of gay leaders would move faster than it did for women. "For most people under 30, it's not an issue," Jefferts Schori said. "We're going to a place where we can see . . . the image of God in the people around us."

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In the DIOCESE OF MINNESOTA this week delegates to convention denied Bishop James Jelinek a bishop Coadjutor. They beat him up on the floor, an observer told VOL. "The movement was led with some noteworthy help from several ambitious clergy. Two reasons seem to be (a) the Diocese is broke and cannot afford the BIG ticket. (b) Interims are running 12 to 24 months on an ordinary basis. The process is micromanaged by the diocese and results are not always good. The folks felt that goose and gander should taste the same gravy." Jelinek is planning to stay until 2010 even without a coadjutor. The consensus of saner old timers is that there is no money, no plan, no leadership and no interest. The staff is shrinking and so is membership, VOL was told.

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In the DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES attorney Eric Sohlgren has filed all the necessary documents in order for the their appeal to go before the California Supreme Court next year. Opening brief on the merits were filed by the Rev. Praveen Bunyan et al., as defendants and respondents by Sohlgren, counsel (CRC 8.25b). A request for judicial notice was also filed on behalf of the Rev. Praveen Bunyan.

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In the DIOCESE OF OREGON, Bishop Johncy Itty is out after a mere four years into the job. He's only 40. He was the youngest Episcopal bishop when he was elected in 2003. One newspaper report said Itty's management style is not a good fit with this particular diocese. Translation: He was a disaster, but not as bad as Pennsylvania Bishop Charles E. Bennison. Itty had the good sense to step down before he was told to. Bennison wants a trial to prove how venal his running of the diocese was. Sources tell VOL that Oregon want a lesbian bishop next time.

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In the DIOCESE OF FLORIDA there is good news on the legal front from Redeemer Anglican Church, formerly Redeemer Episcopal church. Its rector, the Rev. Neil G. Lebhar wrote VOL to say that after the parish issued a call for a hearing, the Diocese of Florida finally agreed to drop the rest of its lawsuit which sought legal fees from individual vestry members and himself even after they had vacated the property. On November 14, the court signed off on that agreement. The judge had earlier made it clear that she knew of no precedent which justified a suit against vestry members who were attempting to be faithful servants of the parish.

Now this is not the first time revisionist bishops have gone after the laity. Charles Bennison did it against Fr. Ousley at St. James the Less in Philadelphia in the DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA. Bennison sued the vestry of St James the Less but there never was a money judgment. J. Jon Bruno has gone after the laity in three parishes in the DIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES and Rob O'Neill is doing it against Fr. Don Armstrong's parish in Colorado Springs in the DIOCESE OF COLORADO. Clearly hell hath no fury like revisionist bishops scorned.

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The DIOCESE OF PENNSYLVANIA,which recently saw the ouster of the worthless and venal Charles E. Bennison, now has a new chancellor, a scrappy attorney from Newark, NJ who has defended Episcopalians on both sides of the sodomite Episcopal bed. The Standing Committee announced this week that they had named retired Judge Michael F. Rehill to the position. He succeeds Stephen P. Chawaga who served for the past year as Chancellor.

Rehill served for 18 years as the Vice Chancellor and Chancellor of the Diocese of Newark, under Jack Spong and successfully defended Walter Righter, the pro-gay former Bishop of Iowa who faced charges that he wrongfully ordained a known sodomite to the priesthood. Rehill was also successful in winning a large sum of money for a woman priest in the Diocese of New York after she was unlawfully ousted by the former adulterous bishop of New York ,Richard Grein, from Grace Church in the Village.

Rehill served for 12 years as a New Jersey Municipal Court Judge before his retirement in 2006. He maintains a law practice devoted in large part to matters pertaining to church law throughout the U. S. He resides in Vernon, New Jersey. His e-mail is mrehill@canonlawyer.org and rehill@rehill-law-office.com but don't bother writing as he never returns calls or e-mails. Has the Standing Committee and Rehill considered the fact that the canons state that the chancellor is the attorney for both the bishop and the standing committee? Although he is inhibited, Charles Bennison is still the bishop.

The inhibition of Bishop Bennison by the Presiding Bishop has placed the Standing Committee in the position of Ecclesiastical Authority of the Diocese.

*****

Is a split in the wind for the DIOCESE OF TEXAS? One blogger, an activist layman, believes there is. The Questioning Christian who attends St. John the Divine in Houston believes that the Diocese of Texas will eventually split from TEC. Traditionalist activists in the diocese, including many long-time friends in his parish, are mobilizing under the radar to elect a bishop who will almost certainly lead the diocese out of the Episcopal Church. Many of these activists who care deeply about the Gospel and the current disputes are organizing effectively to capture the levers of control in the diocese. "I hope I'm wrong, but I think it won't be long before the Diocese of Texas goes the way of Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and the like, and that it will eventually leave the Episcopal Church." The blogger said he came to this conclusion after participating in one of the diocese's focus groups to develop a "vision statement" for the diocese. This is a prelude to electing a new bishop when +Don Wimberly (convener of the so-called "Camp Allen Windsor bishops") retires. The Houston visioning event was held at Christ Church cathedral.

The priest's email said (emphasis mine): "Also a select group of traditionalists met at St. Martin's, one of the biggest parishes in the Episcopal Church, to plan their strategy for the upcoming Saturday focus group. The former rector of St. Martin's, Larry Gipson, circulated a confidential agenda, via an email entitled "CONFIDENTIAL FROM LARRY GIPSON". In it he relates his thoughts on six suggested "vision statements" to bring up at a focus group. Four out of the six statements amounted to code for leaving the Episcopal Church in due time."

*****

From the bishop of the DIOCESE OF ATLANTA John Neil Alexander comes this choice morsel which he uttered at his recent Diocesan Convention. Acknowledging his concern about bishops who seem to be "working against the unity of the church and plotting its destruction," Alexander said: "I believe that as a bishop I have every right to my convictions, to argue my positions, to declare my loyalties, and when necessary to be difficult to live with. But I also have a solemn obligation to stay at the table, no matter how unpleasant the company, to live within the discipline of this church and to do everything in my power to build up the family of God, no matter how difficult that might be."

PLOTTING ITS DESTRUCTION! The only people destroying the Episcopal Church are its innovators like Bishop Alexander, Jon Bruno and Mrs. Jefferts Schori et al. Alexander was critical of adhering to one side or the other, which he called polar thinking. "The problem with polar thinking is that it's always shallow thinking," he said. "Polar positions are always as weak as they are strong. The truth is we have a moral obligation to pursue both justice and unity...boldly, faithfully and tirelessly. Justice without care for the unity of the church will be selfish, shortsighted and shallow. Unity without justice is a sham, a shame and a sin." Sodomy without the approval of God, Scripture, tradition, or reason will get you a one way ticket to Hell. Why should we join the bishop or his diocese?

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If you were wondering what The Episcopal Church's main website is recommending for Christmas reading then click here: http://www.episcopalbookstore.org/wc.dll?main~bd and scroll down to the second book: "The First Christmas - What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus' Birth" by Borg & Crossan. Crossan asserts that Jesus was really the product of Mary's rape by a Roman solider and the Apostles stole his dead bones from the tomb. Borg believes that Jesus is a nice "myth" we should follow!

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The AIDS crisis is grossly overblown say recent reports (that you won't see in the national news media). Scientists now acknowledge that the AIDS crisis is distorted and has become a "Billion Dollar Industry" that stands to profit from misinformation. You can that story here: http://tinyurl.com/23rlaq One of the greatest AIDS success stories is in Uganda (also under-reported.) Anglican provincial leaders say the reason is because they are telling youth to abstain from sex until marriage and of faithfulness in marriage...to one spouse. Now that's a message no self-respecting Episcopalian would ever dare utter for fear of being called homophobic. World AIDS Day is coming up December 1, 2007 so perhaps the message worth telling the world is that the most dramatic success against AIDS anywhere in the world is in Uganda which has reduced their HIV prevalence from 21% in 1991 to 5% in 2001. As of 2005, it stands at 6.7% and is still considered the hope and the proof that community-wide awareness and prevention, especially abstinence can change the grim AIDS statistics. Check out this website for more information: www.uceglobal.org

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If you think things are not really as bad as orthodox Episcopalians and VOL paints them in the TEC read this. "The Sunday after General Convention I returned to my home parish for Gay Pride Sunday and participated in a Disco Mass for which gays and lesbians turned out in force. The opening hymn was a beautiful jazz rendition of 'Over the Rainbow.' Musical offerings came from gay men in sequined tank tops and from the Director of Music who was ushered into the service singing a disco number complete with go-go girls. The queen of St. Mark's appeared in full drag to deliver the homily and the closing hymn was, Sister Sledge's 'We Are Family.'" Yours truly, Nell Braxton Gibson, Coordinator of the Episcopal Urban Caucus, describing a "disco Mass" at her home congregation in New York City.

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LONDON is the 'prayer capital of UK', according to a new survey. More than 40 per cent of Britons say they pray to God. The study, by the Christian charity Tearfund, found that praying made people feel "peaceful and content". Research into the views of 1,000 adults in the UK showed that 42 per cent said they prayed to God, with about one in six praying daily and one in four doing so at least once a week.

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ORTHODOX CANADIANS are on the march. All Saints Community Church was launched this week according to the ACiC. In White Rock/South Surrey, BC All Saints celebrated its official launching on Sunday Nov 18th led by the Rev. Peter Klenner. They are under the godly oversight of the Anglican Province of Rwanda with Archbishop Kolini. All Saints is the newest member church of the Anglican Coalition in Canada.

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More women than men were ordained as CHURCH OF ENGLAND priests last year for the first time since a ban was lifted on female clergy, the church reported. A total of 478 clergy were ordained in 2006; of those 244 were women and 234 men. Most of the women were ordained to unpaid or non-stipendiary posts, such as the role of assistant priest. Of those ordained to full-time stipendiary or paid posts, 128 were men and 95 were women. The Church of England, whose highest-ranking cleric, the archbishop of Canterbury is head of the worldwide Anglican communion, saw its first female clergy ordained in 1994. Its General Synod, or "church parliament" of senior members, has backed the concept of women bishops as "theologically justified", although the principle has caused an outcry among conservatives.

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ON THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE. Church of England Commissioners have agreed to contribute to the costs of the Lambeth Conference up to an overall limit of £1.05 million ($2.2 million). This will include the cost of attendance by Church of England bishops and their wives. It is on the understanding that any savings on attendance fees and/or hospitality (to which part of their contribution relates) will be reflected in a lower contribution. As the host province, the Church of England has traditionally provided a wide range of support for the Lambeth Conference as well as hospitality for those coming from overseas. On this occasion, the Anglican Communion Office (ACO) has asked its bishops to arrange pre-conference hospitality in dioceses and is encouraging parishes to raise funds to contribute to the costs of those wishing to attend who are unable to meet the full cost. There are no central funds for this. Additionally, as the Church Commissioners pay for all bishops and their spouses to attend, the ACO has asked dioceses, through their bishops, to contribute the equivalent number of bursaries (£3,700 per bursary) as the diocese has bishops and bishops' spouses. The only national budget (£405,000 in 2008) is for the annual subscription that the Archbishops' Council pays on behalf of the Church of England for the ongoing costs of the ACO. http://www.cofe.anglican.org/about/gensynod/agendas/qunov07.rtf

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FINANCES IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Recent statistics show that average weekly giving by Church of England parishioners increased to £5.08 ( $11.00) in 2005. "Achieving £5 a week was quite a milestone and the latest figures show a further increase of 4 per cent in total tax-efficient giving," said John Preston, the Church's National Stewardship and Resources Officer. "Church members continue to give generously to charitable causes compared with the population at large. Average giving to the church is around three per cent of average incomes, still somewhere short of the five per cent of disposable income recommended by the General Synod since 1978."

ATTENDANCE figures for 2005 were provisionally issued in January and have not changed. Regular Sunday attendance fell by two per cent, while weekly and monthly attendance fell by one per cent or less. Average Sunday attendance fell by two per cent to 988,000. (2004: 1,010,000; 2003: 1,017,000).

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In the revisionist DIOCESE OF NEW WESTMINSTER comes news that Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, an Anglican who attends Christ Church Cathedral, supports prostitutes' call for legal brothels for the Olympics. A group of Vancouver prostitutes has been joined by Liberal MP Libby Davies and the mayor in calling for the Canadian government to legalize brothels and to set up a system of government regulated brothels to service johns at the Winter Olympics. A furious VOL reader wrote: "You read it right, Sam Sullivan, Mayor of Vancouver, devout parishioner of Christ Church Cathedral, friend of Bishop Michael Ingham, supports legalizing brothels for Vancouver to service visitors during the 2010 Olympics. Oh yes! I want to join his church!" For the full story click here: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/nov/07111304.html

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There are problems galore for the SWEDISH CHURCH. An Op-Ed article was published in "Svenska Dagbladet" (SvD) the main daily newspaper of the leading conservative political party of the present coalition government in Sweden, the Moderaterna. An English translation of the article is published on Yngve Kalin's web page. You can read it here: http://kalin.nu/english/svd3.htm Kalin hopes for a renewed discussion about the serious situation in the Swedish church and would like Christians outside Sweden to know about it.

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