The Living Church has an interview with Bishop Martyn Minns: Bishop Minns: CANA No Different Than Diocese of Virginia.
The document filed by the diocese in the case of Truro Church can be found here.
An amazing collection of links relating to this legal dispute can be found here (hat tip titusonenine).
The Church Times this week published a whole series of articles about Virginia, most of which are not available on the web. This one, by Paul Handley, is: Virginia tells secessionists: see you in court.
I’m amazed that Minns dosn’t remember that the protocol calls for a parish to negotiate with the diocese and to come to a financial settlement before formally leaving. Truro and the other churches did no such thing. They continually claim to have followed the procedure, but, like the Windsor Report, they only read the parts they want to and ignore the parts that don’t support their position. He also seems quite defensive on the “part of the Communion” issue. He seems, to me, to be in the same boat as the AMIA, another “mission” of a foreign province to the… Read more »
Bp Minns says; “We are trying to do what we can to ensure an orderly transition [of benefits]. Under COBRA the former employer does not pay anything in order to ensure continuous coverage. COBRA allows up to 18 months for a transition to a new plan. As Christians we should be more generous than civil authorities, not less.” This appears to be a very carfully crafted statement that, while it contains no falsehoods, is intended to cast the Diocese as ‘opressing’ the departing clergy. We have been over this before but it bears repeating. COBRA is a program in which… Read more »
ruldh – I don’t know if that’s so. The protocol set forth in September by the special committee called for a vote and then a negotiated price for the property. However, it is clear from the statement published by the Special Committee that the congregation is leaving TEC and will buy the property. But the congregation went to court and filed a claim for the property irrespective of any payment they might make for it under the Va. Code establishished for situations where a church splits. Clearly, Bishop Lee was not anticipating this move in September and neither was the… Read more »
Speaking as someone who was there at Virginia’s diocesan council, I’d say Paul Handley’s piece is one of the best I’ve seen about the human, rather than the theological, side of the current commotion. This is NOT a case of “Good riddance, you stinker!” I just wish I could read the rest of the series, but I really don’t need another subscription in my life, either electronic or paper. BTW, Ruidh, at that same council, the report of either (don’t remember which, wasn’t taking notes) the Executive Council or the Standing Committee reminded us that far from being approved by… Read more »
Newlin, One more point to add to your excellent analysis of the insurance issue: In most dioceses (mine included), health insurance is cost-shared between the clergy and the diocese or parish. Truro has not been paying any apportionment to the diocese for years. If the employer share is paid by the diocese, have Minns and his colleagues been freeloading on the loyal parishes? If the employer share is paid by the parishes, has Truro continued to remit that money to the diocese? He seems to want the continued financial benefits of employment within the Diocese of Virginia even though he… Read more »
COBRA does not apply to religious organizations according to my CPA, who specializes in working with clergy of all denominations.
Mr. Martyn Minns is defaming the Diocese of Virginia, intent on agitating the Global South to take an anti-TEC position. Sadly, “the truth is not in Mr. Minns,” although a bishop of the Province of Nigeria!