In the "Declaration" Bishop Curry mentioned Church of the Holy Comforter (Episcopal), St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and any and all other churches now, or in the future, which are in union with the Diocese."

Contacted at his parish, the Rev. David R. Williams, Church of the Holy Comforter in Burlington, NC said though he was singled out along with St. Andrew's, a mission church spun off from his parish, he did not believe that this was personally against him. "The bishop was asking us, and all parishes, to get our documents together," but he told VOL that he didn't know why.

Bishop Curry said the canons of the Diocese required that any real or tangible personal property title is held by the Trustees for the Diocese and cannot be turned over to any other church without the advice of the Standing Committee of the Diocese.

A source told VOL that the bishop felt it was a prudent move in light of the current state of the Episcopal Church where orthodox parishes are fleeing helter skelter in all directions.

Recently the Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego, the Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes came down heavily on his diocesan priests, demanding Articles of Incorporation, Parish By-Laws, employment agreements between clergy, wardens and vestry, title deeds, balance sheets and evidence of Surety Bond. He then threatened his priests with deposition if they failed to comply

When VOL approached an orthodox bishop in another diocese and asked if he thought that national church chancellor David Booth Beers was behind the pressure on diocesan bishops over property ownership as more lawsuits are being filed by fleeing orthodox parishes, he said that the "speculation is that he is behind San Diego," but he knew nothing more.

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