Bishop Peter Lee and Truro Church Vestry Reach Agreement

NOTE FROM BB: This agreement recognizes that Martyn Minns will "continue to carry out the duties of rector." What changes is his title, not his role.

FAIRFAX, VA, October 3, 2006---Leaders of Truro Church expressed appreciation today to the Rt. Rev. Peter Lee, Bishop of Virginia, for granting a license to the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns to continue to carry out the duties of rector during their time of transition.

Truro is engaged in a search process for a new rector. The Truro vestry, in order to maintain continuity of pastoral leadership during their search process, expressed its desire for Bishop Minns to continue to exercise the duties of rector during this critical time. Their goal is to call a new rector in the first quarter of 2007.

Jim Oakes, senor warden of Truro, said, “We recognize that this is an unusual situation and we are very grateful for Bishop Lee’s understanding and generosity during this critical time.”

The agreement acknowledges that when Bishop Minns was consecrated as Missionary Bishop of the Church of Nigeria on August 20, he became canonically resident in that province of the Anglican Communion. In order for him to continue to exercise the duties of rector he now requires special permission, a license, from the bishop of Virginia. This has now been granted and the license to serve as “priest-in-charge” has been signed by both Bishop Lee and Bishop Minns.

Truro Church is one of a number of Virginia parishes involved in a 40-day process of discerning its future status in response to the actions of recent General Conventions.

“Bishop Lee has provided gracious leadership in sorting out this thorny issue. It is a good illustration of how we can work together to find solutions to difficult problems, and we hope that we can build on this positive experience as we move through our discernment process,” Oakes said.