Breakaway Anglican: Episcopal Church 'Redefining Itself as a Radical Offshoot'

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070630/28248_Breakaway_Anglican%3A_Episcopal_Church_%27Redefining_Itself_as_a_Radical_Offshoot%27.htm

[The Christian Post] 1 July 2007--Members of breakaway Anglican churches in Virginia are grieving for The Episcopal Church after its recent motion to add additional defendants to a church property lawsuit.

The 11 Virginia churches, its clergy, trustees and lay leaders (vestry members) that are being sued filed a memo opposing the denomination's motion to add 76 more unpaid church volunteers to the lawsuit and anyone else in the future.

"It's hard to understand The Episcopal Church's and the diocese's motivation for attacking these volunteers and our churches," said Jim Oakes, vice-chairman of the Anglican District of Virginia, an association of conservative Anglican congregations in Virginia. "The motivation appears to be intimidation, but we remain open to negotiating a reasonable solution."

The Virginia churches, including two of the largest and most historic in the Diocese of Virginia, broke ties with The Episcopal Church after overwhelming votes in December. The Diocese, and soon thereafter The Episcopal Church, filed suits against the churches and individuals to reclaim the multi-million dollar church properties.