The 213th Annual Council - Diocese of Virginia

Annual Reports
approving individuals for Candidacy. We interviewed and approved 10 men and women
for Candidacy. We approved 12 for ordination to the diaconate. We approved 13 persons
for ordination to the priesthood.
It is also the duty of the Standing Committee, at the request of the bishop, to determine
when a priest or deacon has abandoned the communion of the Episcopal Church. In
2007, we determined that 24 had done so—22 in January 2007 and 2 later in the year. Six
months after an inhibition has been issued by the bishop, if the cleric has not made a
good faith retraction in writing to the Bishop, the Standing Committee will determine
whether to consent to the cleric’s removal from the ordained ministry of the Episcopal
Church. With enormous regret, the Standing Committee recommended the removal of
22 priests in 2007. We are grateful that one priest made a good faith retraction and had
his inhibition lifted. Additionally, we accepted the renunciation of orders from one priest
living outside of the Diocese.
By diocesan Canon, the Standing Committee serves as the Title IV Diocesan Review
Committee when needed. When a priest or deacon is accused of a triable offense
under Title IV, Canon 1, the Diocesan Review Committee is charged with determining
whether to bring a presentment against the priest or deacon. In 2007, the Standing
Committee served as the Diocesan Review Committee in response to an allegation. In
this case, the Diocesan Review Committee charged the church attorney to investigate
the allegation and prepare a report. The investigation did not result in a presentment.
In particular, we wish to thank Scott Caulkins for his excellent, thorough service as
an investigating church attorney this year. Following the conclusion of the matter,
the Standing Committee recognized that there may be an opportunity to clarify the
process going forward by having a Diocesan Review Committee independent of the
Standing Committee, which is permitted by the national Canons. This would require
an amendment of diocesan Canons; we expect that next year’s Standing Committee will
address this issue and bring a recommendation to the 214 th Annual Council.
While difficult matters cannot be ignored, we do well to take time and appreciate the
many grace-filled moments in our common life. One such moment came for me when in
June when I represented the Standing Committee at a meeting of the leadership of our
continuing congregations. I was struck by the faith, hope and joy evident in those who
know that God is with them and that they have a mission to fulfill. Other members of the
Committee have also meet with the leadership of the continuing congregations of The
Falls Church, St. Stephen’s, Heathsville, St. Margaret’s, Woodbridge and the Church of the
Epiphany, Herndon. The Standing Committee supports their ministry whole-heartedly
and will continue to assist when called upon to do so.
The Standing Committee supports the churches of our Diocese by assisting them when
they seek consent for indebtedness for the advancement of their ministry. In 2007, we
consented to the requests of three churches to encumber the property held in trust for
the Diocese by taking on debt. Churches go through a lengthy process in preparation for
application to the Standing Committee. We have the joy of hearing their presentations,
which are filled with accounts of God’s grace.
In the area of work pertaining to the wider Church, we offered a response to the Draft
Anglican Covenant. We granted our consent to ordination and consecration of 12 bishops
and we granted consent to the holding of Episcopal elections in three dioceses. Given
the times in which we live, when asked to reconsider our vote to withhold consent to
the ordination and consecration of the Very Rev. Mark Lawrence to be bishop of South
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The Diocese of Virginia t Journal of the the 213 th Annual Council