"The Episcopal Church has abandoned those core values we hold dear at South Riding Church, and, tragically, the Diocese of Virginia has supported actions of General Convention 2003," said the Rev. Phil Ashey, pastor of South Riding. "Our church upholds the authority of Scripture, and the leadership of South Riding Church can no longer compromise our faith by remaining under the spiritual and jurisdictional authority of the Episcopal Church and this diocese."

At General Convention 2003, the House of Bishops failed to approve a resolution affirming basic tenets of Christian faith as well as the historic creeds and 39 Articles of Religion (B001). In addition, both the House of Deputies and House of Bishops approved two measures contrary to the Anglican Church's authoritative teaching on human sexuality (Resolution 1.10, Lambeth Conference 1998). These actions precipitated an unprecedented crisis within the Anglican Communion.

Twenty-two of 38 Anglican provinces have declared either impaired or broken communion with the Episcopal Church, and the very position of ECUSA in the Communion appears to be threatened. Subsequently the Episcopal Church has attempted to justify its actions in a document entitled "To Set Our Hope on Christ" rather than repenting and embracing the historic faith and practice of Anglicanism.

At General Convention, Peter Lee, Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, abstained in the vote to affirm traditional Christian teaching and voted to approve the election of V. Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire.

"We have been in conversation with the diocese hoping to reach some level of spiritual comfort or hope for the future, but diocesan leadership is not addressing the issues of this crisis," said Paul Branch, lay leader at South Riding Church. "We cannot continue with our mission and ministry ignoring the fact that the Episcopal Church is in spiritual disarray, has embraced a false gospel, and has abandoned mainstream, Biblical Anglicanism. We are devoted to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and we have a deep desire to remain part of the worldwide Anglican Communion."

"This has been a difficult decision with which we have struggled for three years," said Father Ashey. "We have reached the conclusion that in order to be faithful, we can choose no other path."

The Diocese of Virginia officially designates church plants such as South Riding Church as an "unorganized church" rather than a "mission" or "parish". As such, the leadership has never signed a declaration of loyalty to the diocese and national church as required of all other congregations. South Riding Church does not own property or a building and has pledged to turn over assets purchased with diocesan funds during the time that it has been a part of ECUSA.

The congregation will continue to hold services at Little River Elementary School in South Riding. For more information on South Riding Church, visit its website (http://www.southridingchurch.org/index.html).
Contact: The Rev. Phil Ashey (M) 703-961-1983 (M) 703-963-3185 or Mr. Paul Branch (H) 703-327-3318