A Letter to the Diocese from Patrick N. Getlein, Secretary

October 27, 2006

Dear Friends:

I am writing to let you know that at 10 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 29, there will be a celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 2610 Omisol Rd., Woodbridge, Virginia 22192, the church building that had been in use by Christ Our Lord, Lake Ridge, an Episcopal mission congregation that voted on Sunday, Oct. 15 to dissolve itself and reform under the aegis of the Church of Uganda and vacated the building.

The Rev. Churchill Gibson, a senior priest of The Diocese of Virginia, will celebrate. Mr. Gibson also was the first missioner of the Triangle Mission near Quantico, Virginia that later merged with another congregation to become All Saints’, Dale City in the early 1980s. Sunday’s offering has been designated to help support the continued presence of the Episcopal Church in this worshipping community in the weeks to come. Already, the generosity of clergy and lay persons around the Diocese has resulted in voluntary gifts in support of this effort as well as offers of time and talent. We are very grateful for that support.

As I write this, I want to convey my deep and continuing sadness that a portion of the Body of Christ in the Diocese of Virginia has chosen to remove itself from the rest of the body. We know the vote to dissolve the mission was not unanimous. That makes the departure all the more painful. Our effort to maintain an Episcopal presence is in part to be of support to those who wish to continue to worship as Episcopalians, and to gather in obedience to our Lord’s command to break bread together as we continue in the Apostles’ teachings and fellowship.

The Episcopal Church welcomes you.

Faithfully,

--Patrick