Dear Friends in Christ,

The most recent opinion of the Fairfax Circuit Court, issued last Friday, June 27, is disappointing to many, perhaps most especially the faithful members of our continuing congregations. We must keep the members of these continuing congregations of Epiphany, Oak Hill; The Falls Church, Falls Church; St. Margaret’s, Woodbridge; and St. Stephen’s, Heathsville ever present in our thoughts and prayers. They represent the long, faithful tradition of Episcopalians in Virginia. The Diocese continues steadfastly to stand by them throughout this complicated, important and regrettably necessary dispute.

The ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Virginia Division Statute threatens all hierarchical churches in Virginia.  We continue to believe that hierarchical churches have the First Amendment right to organize themselves without interference from the State.  The Diocese of Virginia and the Episcopal Church will exhaust every possible option to correct what I believe to be a profound injustice and injury to America’s First Freedom, born here in Virginia.

As my fellow bishops and I prepare for the Lambeth Conference of Bishops, our hearts are heavy at the necessity of this lawsuit, but we remain ever hopeful for the mission and ministry that continue everyday to manifest themselves in the lives of faithful Episcopalians throughout the Diocese. Thank you for your persistent faith, prayers and dedication to living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ both here in Virginia and around the world.

Faithfully yours,

Peter James Lee
Bishop of Virginia