Episcopal Church Property Trial opens in Virginia

from BabyBlueOnline by BabyBlue

The seven Anglican churches who are being sued by both The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia will present opening arguments today in the Fairfax County Circuit Court. Six weeks have been allotted for trial. Judge Randy Bellows, who presided over the earlier 57-9 proceedings, will preside.

UPDATE: Opening arguments did go forward today - no major surprises. On the stand tomorrow: The Rt. Rev'd David Jones, Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Bishop Jones was once the overseer of church planting in the Diocese of Virginia. After the 2006 vote to separate by 15 churches in the diocese, the bottom dropped out of the church planting budget. The chair of the diocesan Church Planting Committee was among those who eventually moved to the ACNA.