Anglican group to ordain priests
By Julia Duin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
April 21, 2007

The fledgling Anglican District of Virginia, a group of 11 local churches that have broken with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over theological issues, will ordain its first three priests and a deacon today in Falls Church.

Though the district is involved in lawsuits with the diocese, it is proceeding with creating its own clergy. Bishop Martyn Minns, the outgoing rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, will preside and the Rev. John Yates, rector of the Falls Church, will preach.

The deacon, Dean Miller, is from Truro. The three ordinands -- David Hanke, Eric Hornbuckle and Patrick Ware -- are from the Falls Church. The ceremony will be held in the Falls Church on Broad Street.

The bishop also leads the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), which includes the 11 churches and roughly 20 other parishes and 50 clergy from around the country. On Wednesday, CANA asked the Fairfax County Circuit Court to dismiss a diocesan lawsuit against roughly 75 lay leaders of the 11 churches on the grounds they serve without compensation and that Virginia law protects them from a lawsuit.

CANA's filings state that according to Virginia law, the individual parishes, not the diocese or denominational headquarters in New York, own their property. the rest