Praise Him! The Lord is working within our April 30 timeline for several decisions about week day facilities, as well as Worship and Children's Ministry locations and accommodations.

The legal teams for each side will appear on April 20 before Judge Bellows to support their briefs filed for and against a request to the Judge to stay his Final Order transfers of property pending possible Appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court. Our vestry will be considering the decision to appeal throughout the next month.

Please pray as the Lord's Holy Spirit guides you and as possible in accordance with the prayers that are being handed out during the Historic Church drop-in prayer hour, 7-8 am week days and each Thursday night beginning at 7:30 until the end of April. Link HERE for the full set of petitions we ask you to pray.  

One item in particular has not been specifically addressed in recent weeks. We are hearing from casual encounters and more formal written questions a singular theme: "Are our tithes and offerings dedicated to TFC Anglican safe from delivery to the Episcopal Diocese or national church?" The answer is yes. Ultimately, UNLESS we appeal and prevail on that appeal, we will be required to convey funds to the Episcopal Diocese as ruled by Judge Bellows . But the Judge's Final Order, and our pending request that he stay that Final Order pending an appeal, allow us to pay those funds into the Court's "registry" to be held by the Court until resolution of any appeals and may permit those funds to serve to some degree as a bond for the appeal or stay.

The good news is, we currently have IN HAND the funds that we would need to pay into the Court's registry. The even better news is our current year giving is at very healthy and encouraging levels to meet all the needs of our ministries presently budgeted through July 31, 2012. Based upon this information, your current offerings should be secure from transfer to the Episcopal Diocese or the national Episcopal Church.