The big question is how much money both sides are spending on this debacle. Today, the Rev. John Yates, rector of the Falls Church, the largest of the 11 congregations at 2,500 members, will ask congregants for a “one-time special sacrificial gift” – his words – to make up for a $300,000 shortfall in contributions.
The church recently slashed its $6 million budget by 5.4 percent.
Judge Bellows’ decision to allow some 250 years worth of records to be reviewed for the case “puts a burden on us we had hoped to avoid,” he wrote. “The costs of defending our church are great.”
The ADV folks say they have raised and spent $2.1 million; $1.3 million of which has come from the Falls Church, $1 million from Truro Episcopal Church in Fairfax, $400,000 from Church of the Apostles in Fairfax and the rest from the remaining eight churches.
Neal Brown, the rector of St. Margaret’s Anglican Church in Woodbridge – formerly St. Margaret’s Episcopal – said his congregation of 170 souls eked out $40,000 from their operating budget for legal fees.
“Things are so bad, we can’t make any color copies on our copy machine,” he told me.
A modern law firm armed with modern tools of discovery can easily bankrupt a defendant. You don’t have to win in court to win. You just make it to costly for them to fight.
If I were in the ADV, I think this is the point where I would question the value of continuing the legal battle. Are even Truro and the Falls Church (the physical plants) really worth this sort of expenditure? The ADV has a committed body of lay evangelists most of whom are able and willing to contribute liberally from their means. What better formula is there for going out and planting new churches? Why squander resources on a victory that may be pyrrhic at best?
CANA represents a break with the past (the good and the bad). Spiritual worth does not inhere in structures (however blessed by former associations) but in the fellowship of the Body of Christ.
[url=http://catholicandreformed.blogspot.com]Catholic and Reformed[/url]
The author of this article is a member at one of these churches isn’t she? Or maybe she just worships there? Regardless, it just seems that she should reveal that in the interest of full-disclosure. Admittedly, no one reads the Washington Times for objective reporting do they?
#4 As regards objective reporting, couldn’t you say the same about the Washingon Post? When I lived in DC, the thing I always liked about the Washington Times was that it took foreign news reporting seriously.
Briefly off-topic. When I’m in Washington, D.C. the ONLY objective reporting I can find is in the Washington Times. The Post is as liberal as it gets and it makes no bones about inflicting its bias not only on its editorial pages, but in its news copy.
That said, and back on topic, I agree that the money spent on lawyers is a terrible witness. As one who has already departed for AMiA and Uganda, our new Anglican church plant has found liberation in leaving behind all the assets of the church and seeking the assets of God.
Our total expenditure for assets is a token $50 a week rent of a community auditorium. The rest of our money goes for mission. No roofs to fix, no gardener to pay, no custodian to pay. All for Jesus.
Leaving behind the trappings of the old church was the best remedy for reinventing a new kind of church. Or as we call it, the ancient, future church.
Jesus asks us to sacrifice all, to, in the end, receive all.
Hebrews 10:34 You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Well, I’m always willing to play the role of a contrarian. And I think it’s perfectly defensible for the 11 CANA churches to continue their legal fight. The reality is that they are fighting for a key principle on behalf of ALL orthodox churches in TEC or other connectional (non-congregationalist) denominations. We all have a stake in this battle, even the churches outside Virginia, because of the precedent it will set. And the sad reality is that MANY parishes in TEC won’t consider leaving the denomination until they have a reasonable assurance that they can retain their property. And that is only fair and right. The property should belong to the local congregation that has bought it and maintained it.
I think it’s high time to step up the pressure on 815. Make those sorry, irresponsible, dishonest bums in NYC squirm over how much they are spending and where it’s coming from. THEY are the despicable villains in this case.
BTW, as I’m sure many readers have noticed. Julia’s numbers don’t add up. I’m assuming that there’s a typo and that the real total that the Anglican DISTRICT of Virginia (another minor mistake in this article) has spent is $3.1 million, not just 2.1 million. After all, if Falls Church has ponied up $1.3 mil, and Truro an additional 1 mil, and COA (Church of the Apostles, Fairfax) about $400K on top of that, then those three big churches have already raised some $2.7 million, and the other 8 CANA congregations would therefore have raised another collective $400K.
But considering that all the properties at stake are certainly worth FAR more than that, perhaps a collective $30 million (or even more), it’s highly likely that any deal they would have concluded with the Diocese of VA would have cost them even more than they’ve spent so far. Probably a lot more.
As long as they win the property in the end, as they have an excellent chance of doing, it will be worth it.
David Handy+
Re: # 3, I don’t believe Julia Duin is currently a member of any of the ADV churches. At one time she did have ties to either Falls or Truro (I forget which), but I am quite sure I read that she has been at another local church for a number of years now. (Baby Blue can probably tell us for certain.)
As for walking away from the property, it’s an issue I’m personally quite torn over. (I’m a Truro member). On one hand, the idea of walking away from the mess and being free was/is terribly attractive. A big part of why some (or many?) of us voted to leave TEC was to be free to get on with mission and ministry. Defending the lawsuits tie us to the continuing TEC crisis, and I worry about what that is doing to us emotionally and spiritually as a parish (and as individuals.) Personally I have had to stop following much of the TEC crisis and pull way way back from blog reading, etc. It was just becoming way too spiritually distracting and damaging.
But, I do think David Handy has made some excellent points. We in Virginia have been blessed to have large thriving congregations that could stand together and actually afford this kind of battle and take a stand that will hopefully help set a precedent and give other smaller or isolated parishes the opportunity to leave should we win. We bathed this decision in prayer for months, and the Lord seemed to lead quite clearly. I trust that He led us to take this stand.
Also, #5 and others who talk about only needing to rent an auditorium for Sunday services, please remember that we are talking about some extremely large and active parishes here. Truro has an ASA of about 1300 – 1500. Falls I believe has an ASA of 2500 – 3000. And these are not merely “Sunday only” churches. Both parishes are used pretty much 7 days a week. I don’t know about Falls, but Truro has a pre-school, a missions building that is leased out to many local ministries, a very active ministry to international students at George Mason University, and then we are constantly running Alpha courses, and holding many conferences and outreach events, etc. etc. And the close-in Washington suburbs like Fairfax and Falls Church are built out. There is not a lot of land available to build. So, it’s not so simple logistically to just “walk away” and start fresh.
It’s a nasty ugly situation for sure. But at this point I and I’m sure thousands of other ADV parishoners in VA are praying for the Lord to use this for good and His glory. I continue to pray too for our leaders that they would very clearly hear and discern the Lord’s will, and that should He call us to walk away, we will be faithful to obey and find grace not to look back.
David,
I always enjoy your posts but I stand by my original assertion. Julia’s report clearly highlights the strain that some of the congregations are starting to feel. Why should we care so much as to what a secular court ultimately decides about conservative claims to property anyway?
Does the ADV have the moral high ground? All the testimony to date certainly suggests it. Is the battle worth it? You already know my answer.
One of the things that I hoped the New Reformation would herald would be a lessening attachment to some of the more “American” forms of ecclesiastical exceptionalism. If there’s one thing the Anglican counterculture has stresed over the years it is that we are not (or not just) an American church. The present saga seems all too characteristic of an American preoccupation with individual (congregational) rights. I have a number of dear friends here in Pittsburgh who, in my opinion, also suffer from this tendency. If we have to spend money on legal proceedings, let it be on something of significant moral importance, like a right-to-life case.
#8 Karen,
I posted while you were posting. I appreciate your candor and I’m sure it hasn’t been easy to discern the best way forward.
One other point that I neglected to raise in my comment above that factored in my acceptance of our decision to defend the lawsuit was something Sarah Hey often commented on. (Her comments in this vein in the Christ Church Savannah comment threads were particularly well-stated if you want to dig up one of those old threads.)
Truro and Falls are both “flagship” properties. Truro is on Main Street and very much in the center of old Fairfax city. Highly visible. The town of Falls Church is named after the parish. What happens if we let these historic and visible properties fall into the hands of those who do not preach the true Gospel of salvation through Christ alone? How many will be led astray, wandering into these beautiful attractive prominent church buildings, which they think are places where they will find truth and hope and life, only to be taught something that leads to spiritual death?
Sure, buildings are only buildings, but they are potent symbols in people’s minds, and to allow such iconic buildings and parishes to fall into the hands of those who do not preach Christ is a fearsome prospect. It would give continued legitimacy to what TEC is preaching and proclaiming in the eyes of many. What does faithful stewardship require of us? Tough questions…
I decided to try to dig up Sarah’s comments on some of the benefits of staying and fighting. In the process, I came across a comment I made on the question of the ADV churches and the property fight from Jan 2007. Obviously my convictions haven’t changed much in the last 18 months! I said pretty much identical things to what I’ve written above.
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=17274#comment-1663451
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=17274#comment-1663472
And here are the links to some of what Sarah wrote which helped influence my support of the decision to defend the lawsuits:
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=16914#comment-1539943
http://titusonenine.classicalanglican.net/?p=16914#comment-1540642
I know there’s much more she’s written, especially at Stand Firm. Perhaps Sarah if you chime in here, you can direct us to those articles you’ve written. Thanks!
But obviously, no matter how “logical” to fight to keep the property, we must be willing to obey the Lord. If He calls us to turn our backs and allow ourselves to be “defrauded” (as in the passage Tim+ cited above), I do pray for courage to obey without question or delay.
Clearly Scripture teaches we must be WILLING to give up all and not demand our “rights”. And in many cases He does command us to leave all and follow. But not all. There were wealthy and influential disciples in the early church (Joseph of Arimathea comes to mind) and their resources were a blessing to the believers. Also, Paul used his Roman citizenship to his advantage to help further the Gospel. How can we use the resources we’ve been entrusted with as such wealthy and influential congregations for God’s glory? These are the questions so many of us at Truro, Falls, etc. have been pondering for the past 2 years or so.
Karen B makes an excellent point about the full use of those buildings throughout the week for a variety of ministries which would be seriously harmed by the loss of the buildings. These parishes are out doing the kinds of things that the old TEC would want them to do, ironically, and these efforts will suffer big damage from a loss of the property.
“iconic buildings and parishes” That is what troubles me. Iconic is just another word for “idol” and we are not to worship those. I understand the pain of leaving behind a precious building, full of memories and moments, but Jesus gave behind much, much more.
People who won’t leave because they are in love with a building, may (and I don’t want to judge people’s hearts here) be worshipping the wrong thing.
I’ve heard the same from people who left a church because the pastor they loved retired. Were they at the church because of Jesus, or the pastor? That’s for God to know, but something we should seriously ask ourselves when confronted with difficult choices.
14. Jim,
I am in one of the 11 VA church buildings, and I have absolutely no sense that a single member worships anything about the building. To the contrary, I think the members would agree that the building belongs to the Lord and we should use it to His purposes and defend it from all other uses.
Before moving to this area, my wife and I were in a church for 30 years. I was ordained there, both children baptized there, both children married there, and one child’s life memorialized there. Neither of us feel tied to that building in any way, though we still greatly love the congregation there.
This is our testimony: It’s not about the building. It’s about the Lord and His work. Best wishes, –Stan
#3 ….Admittedly, the Washington Times is one of the few news outlets in this country with fair reporting!
Jim (#14), I of course meant “iconic” in a more secular / generic sense, meaning “symbolic” or easily recognizable or identifiable as being part of of something larger, as in this definition from Wikipedia:
[blockquote]An icon (from Greek εἰκών, eikon, “image”) is an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it, or by analogy, as in semiotics; by extension, icon is also used, particularly in modern popular culture, in the general sense of symbol — i.e. a name, face, picture, edifice or even a person readily recognized as having some well-known significance or embodying certain qualities. one thing, and image or depiction, that represents something else of greater significance thru literal or figurative meaning, usually associated with religious, cultural, political, and economic standing.[/blockquote]
In that sense Truro and Falls were indeed “iconic” (perhaps a better word is archetypal) parishes in the Dio. VA and TEC.
Believe me, the “worship” of church buildings is about the farthest thing possible from my mind. If I worshipped a building, if I thought a building was an important reason to join a church, I wouldn’t be living and working 3000+ miles away in a Muslim area of W. Africa, where “church” is a secret meeting in a local believer’s home, a different home each week.
God may yet lead Truro et al away from our buildings, and if that happens, I trust Him that it will be a good thing in that it will force us to refocus on relationships and vision and not be distracted or unduly shaped or defined by our facilities. But unless / until that happens, I am content knowing these historic facilities are continuing to be used to the fullest extent possible to preach Christ, which was the desire of those who established these parishes.
People simply do not wish to be evicted from their church, this does not mean they worship icons. An empty, unused church building, on the other hand, could be considered an icon because it would evoke memories of the congregations which worshiped God within its walls.
If the ADV congregations do leave their buildings no one in that part of northern Virginia is going to be confused about the new occupants and what they stand for after all the publicity. Apart from anything else, there is no way a rump TEC congregation (aging ex-members and a few plants) is going to be able to sustain the breadth of ministry currently offered. Perhaps one way to look at the immediate future is to consider the possibility that Truro and the Falls Church are being called to operate on the cell group principle until such time as the national church realizes that it will be financially more prudent to return their property for a consideration. (If I recall earlier discussions correctly, the buildings are considered to be of historical interest and cannot be used for anything other than religious purposes, so the Diocese of Virginia is not going to want to keep them on their books long term.)
There is nothing harder to stop or redirect than a secession movement; once put into motion, it demands and receives constant reinforcement, growing in its own sense of rightness, until it has a life of its own, dragging its adherents into ever-deepening levels of conflict, at incredible price and for gains that, at best, will prove of limited value.
I recently found this marvelous Merton quote: “Nothing is more suspicious, in a man who seems holy, than an impatient
desire to reform other men.”
I write as a Presbyterian pastor who has seen my own tradition engaged in trench warfare. I appreciate the sensibilities of those who raise theological questions, but I wonder if “love for one another” doesn’t take precedence over our theological claims, for in so doing, we have to discredit the claim of the other, suggesting that whatever faith in Christ they proclaim, it’s not valid – a bold and dangerous move. The Rev. Dr. Tom Eggebeen, Los Angeles
There is a way in which to fight ECUSA’s use of law suits to persecute orthodox parishes and thus impose its leadership’s progressive-revisionist agenda upon the unwilling.
ECUSA and revisionist dioceses are already suffering the pains of reduced “giving” from dioceses, parishes and individuals.
Let’s start a campaign to step up the pressure.
Specifically, a campaign to stop giving any money to the national church and revisionist dioceses until the law suits stop.
I suggest that the internet and the U.S. Mail be used to conduct the campaign. Internet address lists and home addresses shouldn’t be that hard to come by.
The campaign should work. Look at the financial groans and moans that are already coming out of the revisionist parishes and the national church.
I have suggested that those who receive an Economic Stimulus Payment check give at least a tithe towards the ADV churches’ legal defense fund. My wife and I did.
Just to comment. i was the seminarian at The Falls Church when I was in seminary at Virginia Theological Seminary, one number I heard about the activities that take place just at the congregation is that their facility is used almost 800 times a week for ministry functions. That would be a hard number of things to try and schedule in a rented facility that is why the fight for these properties is so so important. If you desire to contribute to the legal defense fund in the Anglican District of Virginia you can do some from their webpage http://www.anglicandistrictofvirginia.org and click on donate now.
[blockquote] There is nothing harder to stop or redirect than a secession movement; once put into motion, it demands and receives constant reinforcement, growing in its own sense of rightness, until it has a life of its own, dragging its adherents into ever-deepening levels of conflict, at incredible price and for gains that, at best, will prove of limited value.[/blockquote]
Well that’s exactly what happened when TEC decided to ignore Lambeth 1.10 and accepted VGR in 2003. Actions have consequences and things do achieve a life of their own.
Fight for the buildings tooth and nail as long as the money holds out.