Letter to Members and Friends of Church of the Word

April 5, 2008

Dear Members and Friends of Church of the Word,

You may have heard the news of this week’s ruling in the Fairfax County Circuit Court concerning our church property. To alleviate any confusion, I wanted to personally inform you of the situation.

The judge ruled that the Virginia Division Statute (Virginia Code § 57-9) applies to support our efforts to keep our property. The ruling also clearly defines that there is a division between us and the Diocese of Virginia.

In our legal position, we have maintained all along that The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Virginia had no legal right to our property because the Virginia Division Statute says that the majority of the church is entitled to its property when there is a division within the denomination. In our case, Church of the Word members purchased our property recently and have been solely responsible for its management and upkeep ever since.

We are grateful for this initial victory, but we know that this is just one small step in a long road ahead. It is likely that The Episcopal Church and the diocese will appeal this decision. In addition, there will be hearings in the Fairfax County Circuit Court in May to address the question of constitutionality of the Division Statute. There may be additional hearings in the fall.

Be assured that our legal team is working diligently to ensure that we continue to receive the best possible defense, and they are to be commended for their work.

We ask you to continue in prayer through the coming months for other Anglican District of Virginia parishes, our legal team, The Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Virginia, and everyone involved in this situation. As Christ’s body, we must not harbor ill will towards anyone. We did not choose this path, and we will continue to work together with other Anglicans and Episcopalians by cooperating in ministry. And most importantly, we will continue to share the love of Christ and the life-transforming power of the Gospel with everyone around us.

You can read more details on this important legal situation here on our Church website.
http://www.pwcweb.com/ecw/windsor_rpt.html

Grace and Peace to you all, in Jesus Name,

The Rev. Robin T. Adams                       Rector

Mariann Lynch Senior Warden