The Falls Church (Anglican)

Last updated
The Falls Church Anglican
The-falls-church-anglican-2.jpg
The Falls Church (Anglican)
Location West Falls Church, Virginia
CountryUnited States
Denomination Anglican Church in North America
Website tfcanglican.org
History
Dedicated2019
Architecture
Architect(s) LS3P
Administration
Diocese Mid-Atlantic
Clergy
Rector The Rev. Dr. Samuel D. Ferguson [1]

The Falls Church Anglican is an Anglican parish in the Falls Church section of Fairfax County, Virginia, near Washington, D.C. In 2006, the congregation of The Falls Church divided over the question of whether to leave the Episcopal Church, effectively creating two congregations: The Falls Church Anglican and The Falls Church.

Contents

Following years of conflict within the Episcopal Church over issues surrounding Biblical authority and interpretation (including issues such as human sexuality, the role of men and women in ordained ministry, and liturgical reform) several congregations within the Episcopal Church concluded that the only way for them to remain faithful to their views was to "walk apart" from the Episcopal Church, yet remain in communion with other Anglican churches. The Falls Church was one of these congregations. In December 2006, a substantial majority of the congregation of the Falls Church voted to disaffiliate from the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and join the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, a missionary effort headed by Martyn Minns, former Rector of Truro Church, and sponsored by the Church of Nigeria, a member of Anglican Church in North America. [2] In 2013, the Falls Church Anglican affiliated directly with the Anglican Church in North America. [3]

History

Colonial beginnings

The forerunner to The Falls Church appears to have been founded by landowner William Gunnell, who had moved from Westmoreland County, Virginia, in 1729. In the spring of 1730, he secured a minister and convened a congregation, which met in his home until 1733, when the first building was constructed. [4] Until that time, this area was served by a clergyman who lived near present-day Quantico, and the nearest church was Pohick Church near Lorton.

Known as "William Gunnell's Church", the new wooden structure was designed and built by Colonel Richard Blackburn, who was directed to construct a weatherboarded building forty feet by twenty-two feet, with a 13:12 pitch roof, and with interior work modeled on that of Pohick Church; the cost was 33,500 pounds of tobacco. Like Pohick Church, the new church served Truro Parish, which had been established by the colonial Virginia Assembly in May 1732 for the land north of the Occoquan River; Truro's first vestry met in November 1732. Michael Reagan allowed the church to be built on his land, but failed to grant the deed. John Trammell later bought the land and, in 1746, sold the two acre lot, including the church, the churchyard, and a spring, to the vestry of Truro Parish. By this point, it was known as the Upper Church. [4]

The Vestry Book first referred to it as the "Falls Church" on 28 November 1757, owing to its location at the intersection of the road to the Little Falls of the Potomac River (upstream of the Chain Bridge) and the Middle Turnpike (leading from Alexandria to Leesburg, now Virginia Route 7 or Leesburg Pike, called West Broad Street in downtown Falls Church City). [4]

George Mason was elected vestryman in 1748, as was George Washington in 1762. [4]

The new brick church

By 1762, the wood building had fallen into decay and the vestry ordered a new brick building to be constructed on the same site. The next year, George Washington and George William Fairfax, as church wardens, assumed responsibility to contract for the new building. After 1765, this church became the seat of the new Fairfax Parish. [5] [6]

The new church was designed by Colonel James Wren, a member of the vestry. Work commenced in 1767 and completed in late fall 1769. [4] The Wren building remains on the site, between S. Washington, E. Broad, and E. Fairfax Streets. The 1769 structure is the oldest remaining church building north of Quantico in Virginia and is one of the oldest church structures in the United States.

Revolutionary War and aftermath

The Fairfax militia recruited from the church during the Revolutionary War, and it is said that at the war's end, the Declaration of Independence was read to citizens from the steps of the south doors. In 1784, the Commonwealth of Virginia revoked the status of the Anglican Church as state church. In 1789, The Falls Church was abandoned [4] and remained unoccupied for almost 50 years; in 1836, it was reoccupied by an Episcopal congregation. [7] Francis Scott Key was a lay reader of this congregation, as was Henry Fairfax, who used his own funds to restore the building during 1838 and 1839.

Civil War disruption and damage

During the American Civil War the church was used by Union troops as a hospital and later as a stable. Use of the building for worship services resumed after the war; the sanctuary has now been in continuous use since about 1873. The interior was repaired after the war, with the Federal government paying for damage caused by Union forces. Some of these repairs can be discerned in brickwork below the windows and in the lower part of the brick doorway at the west end of the church.

The church was remodeled in 1908 and extensively renovated in 1959. Galleries in Wren's original design but never constructed were installed, and a new chancel was added. Other than repairs of war damage and the chancel addition, the structure reflects the original 1769 construction.

Separation from the Episcopal Church

The decision by the Falls Church Anglican to break away from the Episcopal Church stemmed from increasing dissatisfaction within the majority of the congregation over the direction being taken by the Episcopal Church. Several episodes contributed to the widening split, including the consecration of Gene Robinson, a partnered gay man, as Bishop of New Hampshire. In the view of many congregants, the Episcopal Church by these actions had violated its own constitution. These congregants concluded that to stay true to their traditional beliefs, they must separate. [8] A vote was taken and 90 percent of the parishioners decided to leave the Episcopal Church to join the breakaway Convocation of Anglicans in North America, and 96 percent voted to hold on the property currently used. [9] A minority faction, however, voted to remain part of the Episcopal Church. The majority group renamed itself The Falls Church Anglican, while the minority faction kept the name The Falls Church. However, both congregations claim 1732 as their founding date, and the same history through 2006.

Following a lengthy court dispute around the property, ended in 2012, a minority faction that voted to remain part of the Episcopal Church was awarded ownership of the church property, and the Anglican congregation parish of 3000 people had to move to nearby rented locations. [10]

In 2013, the Falls Church Anglican affiliated directly with the Anglican Church in North America. [3]

In June 2015 the Falls Church Anglican purchased land near the original church, with the intention of building a new church in the next years. [11] The purchase will cost the parishioners $54 million ($31 million for the acquisition and an additional $23 million for new construction). [11] On September 8, 2019, Falls Church Anglican celebrated its first worship service in their new facility.

Since the 2006 split from the Episcopal Church, the Falls Church Anglican has been able to expand, by being able to fund and staff three more independent "daughter" Anglican churches: Christ Church in Vienna, Restoration Anglican, Arlington in Alexandria, and Winchester Anglican in Winchester. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Truro Anglican Church (Fairfax, Virginia)</span> Church in Virginia USA, United States

Truro Anglican Church is an Anglican church in Fairfax, Virginia, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Virginia</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Diocese of Virginia is the second largest diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing 38 counties in the northern and central parts of the state of Virginia. The diocese was organized in 1785 and is one of the Episcopal Church's nine original dioceses, with origins in colonial Virginia. As of 2018, the diocese has 16 regions with 68,902 members and 180 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Church (Alexandria, Virginia)</span> Historic church in Virginia, United States

Christ Church is an Episcopal church located at 118 North Washington Street, with an entrance at 141 North Columbus Street, in Alexandria, Virginia. Constructed as the main church in the Church of England's Fairfax Parish, the building was designed by Col. James Wren, a descendant of Sir Christopher Wren.

In the United States, the history of the Episcopal Church has its origins in the Church of England, a church which stresses its continuity with the ancient Western church and claims to maintain apostolic succession. Its close links to the Crown led to its reorganization on an independent basis in the 1780s. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, it was characterized sociologically by a disproportionately large number of high status Americans as well as English immigrants; for example, more than a quarter of all presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians. Although it was not among the leading participants of the abolitionist movement in the early 19th century, by the early 20th century its social engagement had increased to the point that it was an important participant in the Social Gospel movement, though it never provided much support for the Prohibitionist movement. Like other mainline churches in the United States, its membership decreased from the 1960s. This was also a period in which the church took a more open attitude on the role of women and toward homosexuality, while engaging in liturgical revision parallel to that of the Roman Catholic Church in the post Vatican II era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pohick Church</span> Historic church in Virginia, United States

Pohick Church, previously known as Pohick Episcopal Church, is an Episcopal church in the community of Lorton in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Often called the "Mother Church of Northern Virginia," the church is notable for its association with important figures in early Virginian history such as George Washington and George Mason, both of whom served on its vestry.

The Anglican realignment is a movement among some Anglicans to align themselves under new or alternative oversight within or outside the Anglican Communion. This movement is primarily active in parts of the Episcopal Church in the United States and the Anglican Church of Canada. Two of the major events that contributed to the movement were the 2002 decision of the Diocese of New Westminster in Canada to authorise a rite of blessing for same-sex unions, and the nomination of two openly gay priests in 2003 to become bishops. Jeffrey John, an openly gay priest with a long-time partner, was appointed to be the next Bishop of Reading in the Church of England and the General Convention of the Episcopal Church ratified the election of Gene Robinson, an openly gay non-celibate man, as Bishop of New Hampshire. Jeffrey John ultimately declined the appointment due to pressure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic</span>

The Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic is an Anglican Church in North America diocese, encompassing Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and northeastern North Carolina, with 38 congregations, including several church plantings. The diocese was originally organized in 2006 as the Anglican District of Virginia when a group of Virginian congregations withdrew from the Episcopal Church. It achieved diocesan status on June 21, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Falls Church</span> Historic church in Virginia, United States

The Falls Church is an historic Episcopal church, from which the city of Falls Church, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., takes its name. Established in 1732, the parish in 1769 built a brick church building that remains in use today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande is the Episcopal Church's diocese in New Mexico and southwest Texas, the portion of the state west of the Pecos River, including the counties of El Paso, Reeves, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Brewster, Presidio, Terrell, Hudspeth and Pecos. The total area of the diocese is 153,394 square miles (397,290 km2). According to the 2006 parochial report, there are 57 active congregations within the diocese. The see is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral Church of St. John.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martyn Minns</span>

Martyn Minns is an English-born American bishop, serving in the Anglican Church of Nigeria. He was the founding missionary bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), under the patronage of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, until his retirement in January 2014. Prior to becoming a bishop, he served as rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Edmund's Anglican Church</span> Church in Wisconsin, United States

St. Edmund's Anglican Church was a parish of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America in Elm Grove, Wisconsin.

Fairfax Parish was the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Anglican church in colonial Virginia with jurisdiction over part of Fairfax County with its central church located at The Falls Church. The parish was created in 1764 from Truro Parish.

Truro Parish was the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Anglican church in colonial Virginia with jurisdiction originally over all of Fairfax County. The parish had its central church at the Truro Church and the parish was named for the parish in Truro in Cornwall. The parish was created on November 1, 1732 from Hamilton Parish. It was divided twice: in 1748, Cameron Parish was formed and in 1764 Fairfax Parish was created. After 1765, Truro Parish covered southern Fairfax County until disestablishment ended the parish system by 1786.

Cameron Parish was the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Anglican church in colonial Virginia with jurisdiction over the western part of Fairfax County and, once it was created in 1757, over Loudoun County. The parish was named for the minor title of Thomas, Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron. The parish was created in 1748 from Truro Parish. It was divided in 1770 and Shelburne Parish was formed from the western half of Loudoun County. After 1770, Cameron Parish covered eastern Loudoun County until disestablishment ended the parish system by 1786.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of the Epiphany (Virginia)</span> Church in Virginia , United States

The Church of the Epiphany is an Anglican church located in Chantilly, Virginia. It emphasizes "Encountering God through beautiful worship and believing prayer, building a multigenerational congregation that loves children and families and equipping every member to share the good news of Jesus Christ." Notable ministries and activities include a yearly free "Sports Camp" in Herndon for elementary-age students, bi-weekly worship and other ministry activities at the Arbor Terrace memory care home in Chantilly, and monthly donations of food that go home with students in need at Coates Elementary School in Herndon. Each year, Epiphany designates the congregation's Christmas Eve offering to a special project, alternating between supporting mission outside of the United States and meeting local needs in Fairfax County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Episcopal Church (Winchester, Virginia)</span> Church in Virginia, USA

Christ Church, or Christ Episcopal Church, is an Anglican church in Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. The church was founded in 1738, with its first vestry elected in 1742. It is the seat of Frederick Parish, Diocese of Virginia, which once covered half of the Shenandoah valley and western Virginia, including what became West Virginia. The current church building, the parish's third, was designed by Robert Mills - it was completed in 1828, and is the oldest church building continuously used for religious purposes in the county. It is a contributing building in the local Historic District which predates the National Register of Historic Places, and which has been expanded three times since 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epiphany Episcopal Church (Oak Hill, Virginia)</span> Church in Virginia, United States

The Church of the Epiphany Episcopal is an Episcopal church within the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in Oak Hill, Virginia, United States. The church was established in 1985 as a 'mission church' by members of Truro Episcopal Church and is listed in a book compiled in 1989 by Don Massey for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. The church is legally registered as Church of the Epiphany Episcopal while doing business as (DBA) Epiphany Episcopal Church, and is informally known as "The Church on the Corner."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meade Memorial Episcopal Church</span> Episcopal Church in Virginia, U.S.

Meade Memorial Episcopal Church is a predominantly Black Episcopal Church in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Founded in 1870, the church today is supported by a congregation that includes descendants of the original founders of this parish. Meade Memorial belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, whose members continue to serve the community and the Episcopal Church by participating in regional and Diocesan activities.

James Wren was an American politician, judge, military officer, architect, and merchant. Historians regard Wren as one of colonial Virginia's only architects of record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Our Saviour, Oatlands</span> Anglican church in northern Virginia

The Church of Our Saviour at Oatlands is a Reformed Episcopal parish located south of Leesburg, Virginia. Founded in 1871 as a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, it met for most of its history in a historic church building on the grounds of the Oatlands plantation. The congregation elected to leave the Episcopal Church during the Anglican realignment and in 2016 relocated to a new building a mile north of the original historic church. It is noted for its use of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

References

  1. ↑ Crossway
  2. ↑ Ross Lindsay (August 2011). Out of Africa: The Breakaway Anglican Churches. Xulon Press. pp. 85–86. ISBN   978-1-61379-606-1 . Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Anglican Church in North America". www.acna.org. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Steadman, Melvin Lee (1964). Falls Church by Fence and Fireside. Falls Church Public Library. ISBN   9780788402036.
  5. ↑ "The Falls Church".
  6. ↑ Pohick Church, Minutes of the Vestry, Truro Parish, Virginia, 1732-1785 (Gateway Press, Baltimore, 1974), p. 58; transcription of Truro Vestry Minutes for February 19, 1749, ordering the rebuilding of the vestry house, the seat of the parish vestry, at Pohick Church in southern Fairfax County.
  7. ↑ Gundersen, Joan R. (22 December 2006). "How "Historic" Are Truro Church and The Falls Church?". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  8. ↑ Constant, Alicia (May 24, 2012). "The Costly Faithfulness of The Falls Church". The Gospel coalition. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  9. ↑ Ekklesia.UK (18 Dec 2006). "Two US Episcopal congregations opt for anti-gay Nigerian oversight" . Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Congregation of The Falls Church must begin again". The Washington Post. May 11, 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Expelled from Historic Falls Church, Anglican Defectors Buy New Site". FCNP. June 18, 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.

38°52′11″N77°10′16″W / 38.86972°N 77.17111°W / 38.86972; -77.17111

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.