Breakaway Witnesses on Stand at Falls Church Property Trial Today

From Virginia-

Witnesses for the defendant breakaway congregation of the historic Falls Church were slated to take the witness stand today following the testimony yesterday of a husband and wife team that played a major role in keeping the hopes of "continuing Episcopalians" alive to recover their historic church property downtown in the City of Falls Church.

What may be the final phase of the years-long, dramatic trial now underway at the Fairfax Circuit Court over the ownership of the church property is not a dispute over religious doctrine or vestry oaths, Judge Randy Bellows reminded the courtroom. It is strictly a matter of legal rights, he said.

When a Civil War-era Virginia law that had been cited earlier to favor the majority of congregants of the church who defected from the Virginia Diocese of the Episcopal Church U.S.A. was ruled unconstitutional by the Virginia Supreme Court, two of the nine breakaway congregations in the state settled their disputes on terms favorable to the Diocese in recent months.

Now, the remaining seven breakaway congregations, aligned with the recently-formed Council of Anglicans in North America (CANA), are persisting in asserting their legal right to occupy the properties, including The Falls Church, they've held onto since they broke away from the Episcopal Church in early 2006.

More here-

http://www.fcnp.com/news/9153-breakaway-witnesses-on-stand-at-falls-church-property-trial-today.html