TEC Bishop signals move against Virginia parishes

Saying that he will not renew the 30-day standstill agreement with the clergy and members of congregations who voted to leave the Episcopal Church to associate with the Anglican Church of Nigeria, the Bishop of Virginia, Peter James Lee opened the door to massive litigation in the courts to seize the properties from these orthodox priests.

In a letter to the diocese Tuesday, the Diocese notified these congregations of its decision not to renew the agreement, which is set to expire on January 17, thus paving the way for inevitable legal action.

"The leadership of the Diocese of Virginia - Bishop Peter James Lee, the Standing Committee and the Executive Board - will meet after the expiration of the standstill agreement to determine their next course of action. Specifically, the Standing Committee must decide the status of the clergy of the departed congregations. In turn, the Executive Board must consider whether the property of these Episcopal churches has been abandoned." Read more