Episcopal parish breaks off from roots

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A congregation in the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia has broken away from the denomination and started a new parish aligned with the Anglican church in Uganda.

Christ Our Lord, a mission church that has operated since the early 1990s, voted to dissolve as an Episcopal parish and return its Lake Ridge building to the diocese.

The vicar of the church, the Rev. George Beaven, said in an Oct. 22 news release that his parishioners made the move because the U.S. denomination has shown "profound disrespect for scripture and biblical teachings."

Bishop James Lee said in a statement that he is "saddened by this departure and by the mission's apparent failure to thrive."

In 2003, Episcopalians consecrated their first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, causing an uproar among Anglicans worldwide over the Bible and sexuality. The American church is the U.S. branch of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion.

Conservatives, a minority within the Episcopal Church, have been challenging the denomination's national leaders. Some Episcopal parishes have split from the American church, and 10 conservative U.S. dioceses have formed a network that is considering breaking away.

The Virginia diocese said in a news release that it holds title to the Lake Ridge property, and that the note securing the building has a balance due of $420,000 and is five months in arrears. The diocese plans to "restore an Episcopal presence" to the building by Sunday.

Beaven said that the breakaway congregation, Christ Our Lord Anglican Church, plans to hold its worship services at a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Woodbridge for now.