Kansas objects to Section 4 of Covenant
The 2012 General Convention deputation of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas wrote to the Executive Council Task Force on the Anglican Covenant April 24, 2011. In their letter, members of the House of Deputies expressed no concerns about Sections 1–3 of the Anglican Covenant, but they declared that they do not support Section 4, with its penalties of “relational consequences.” According to the letter, “The deputation believes that the inclusion of such penalties would be antithetical to any covenantal relationship. The inclusion of penalties is consistent with a contractual or legal relationship in the secular world, not a covenantal relationship.”Virginia diocese settles with another church on eve of return to court
On April 19, 2011, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia announced an agreement with another of the churches that attempted to leave the diocese in 2006 while retaining parish property. The agreement comes two months after the diocese settled with Church of Our Saviour, Oatlands, and only days before the remaining parties in the property litigation in Virginia returned to court. (See Pittsburgh Update story here.)Church of the Word, Gainsville, reached an agreement with the diocese April 18 that reflects “a set of unique circumstances” regarding the Gainsville church building. A road construction project near the church negatively impacts the viability of the church at its present location. The church is being allowed to keep most of its real and personal property, but the diocese will retain a $1.95 million compensatory payment from the Virginia Department of Transportation. In addition, Church of the Word will disaffiliate from the Anglican Church in North America, the Anglican District of Virginia, and the Convocation of Anglicans in North America for a period of five years, although the intention is to re-affiliate after that period.
Episcopal News Service has additional details here. Church of the Word issued a press release and offers background information.
On April 25, the diocese, Episcopal Church, and the seven churches that have not yet settled, began another trial in the court of Fairfax County Circuit Judge Randy Bellows. Associated Press reported on the beginning of the trial here.