A long-running conflict at Incarnation Anglican Church, located in Williamsburg, VA, has again entered the public eye following the release of a letter from the Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic (DOMA) declining to address allegations of misconduct by DOMA Bishop Chris Warner. We provide the full letter below, followed by an excellent history of the conflict published by Anglican Ink.
Letter from Standing Committee
August 25, 2025
From the Standing Committee, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic
To the leadership and people of Incarnation Anglican Church, Williamsburg, VA
We greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The Standing Committee of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic has been following closely the recent events at Incarnation Anglican Church. Our hearts go out to you as we continue to pray for a successful outcome to your unsettling turmoil. We were grateful to hear a report at our meeting this week from a Sunday morning
visitor who described a joyful, Christ-filled and energetic worship service. We were most encouraged!
We are aware of several reports circulating rather publicly about recent events at your congregation and want to clarify a few things. First, we have been assured by the Provincial Office that there are no disciplinary actions of any sort pending against Bishop Warner, nor is he the subject of any investigation. We are grateful for the gentle and godly way he pastorally cares for our diocese and particularly the care he has provided to Incarnation Anglican Church.
Second, we emphasize that although DOMA as a diocese supports ordination of women to the priesthood, there is not, nor has there ever been, any movement to impose that view on any of our congregations or clergy. In 2017, the ACNA College of Bishops affirmed that there is room for differences of conviction and practice regarding women and Holy Orders: there is space for each perspective, and “we commit to move forward in unity” (9/8/2017 statement). Obedience to their decision to commit to move forward in unity is part of our life in DOMA, and this shared commitment enables us to remain one body even amid differing convictions. We are blessed with many gifted women serving in leadership across DOMA, and we give thanks for their presence among us. At the same time, we recognize and honor clergy and laity who hold differing views on women’s ordination, knowing that faithful Christians may disagree on this matter. Bishop Warner has never sought to place a female rector in any congregation against its will, nor do we have any reason to
believe he would do so.
Many distorted and misleading allegations have been leveled against both Incarnation and our Bishop, whose integrity has been impugned. As much as this grieves us, however, we choose not to refute them point by point in this letter. Instead, in the conciliatory and hope-filled work of the cross, we seek to move forward with you to what the Lord has in store for Incarnation. We celebrate both what He has done and what He will do in your dear part of the Body of Christ. We will continue to pray for you as you search for a permanent rector. Please be assured of our prayers and affection for you as you continue this journey of transition.
In Christ,
The Standing Committee
Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic
Timeline of Conflict (from Anglican Ink)
Incarnation Anglican Church in Williamsburg, VA has experienced a series of crises, one result of which is a request for a formal inquiry into Bishop Chris Warner’s conduct under Title III, Canon 8 to determine whether his actions constitute canonical violations, abuse of authority, or neglect of episcopal duty.
X account “@DOMA_Misconduct” has provided many documents that outline the recent history of this conflict. Extrapolating from these documents, I came up with the following timeline.
Timeline: Incarnation Anglican Church Conflict
2020–2023
* Aug 9, 2020: Rev. Drew Thomas is instituted as Vicar by Bishop John Guernsey.
* Sept 2023 or Jan 2024: Rev. Thomas departs. Date unclear.
2023
* Spring 2023: Fr. Justin Murff becomes Interim Rector during a leadership crisis.
2024
* Dec 27, 2024: It is suddenly announced that Fr. Murff will depart within a month, with no replacement lined up. It is revealed he had been quietly demoted from Interim Rector to Priest-in-Charge earlier in the year.
2025
* Jan 17, 2025: At Bishop Warner’s and Canon Mary Hays’s direction, Incarnation Anglican Church is informed there will be no interim rector for the next 4 months. Guest preachers will serve.
* Jan 31, 2025: Archdeacon Murff concludes his service as Priest-in-Charge.
* Feb 2, 2025: Canon Tuck Bartholomew begins leading services twice a month; Canon Jim Beavers also assists.
* Feb 9, 2025: Canon Mary Hays celebrates the Eucharist—the first female priest to do so at Incarnation Anglican Church. Attendance drops and small groups are paused.
* Apr 20, 2025: Bishop Warner visits IAC, insists on gender parity for the vestry and doctrinal openness to female celebrants.
* Apr 27, 2025: Vestry election is disrupted. A DOMA deacon calls it “a battle between the women and the men.”
* Apr 28, 2025: Bishop Warner calls an emergency congregational meeting for April 30.
* Apr 30, 2025: Bishop Warner holds the meeting, rebukes the vestry, praises election disruptors, and accuses the vestry of plotting to leave DOMA.
* May 3, 2025: Bishop Warner sends a letter confirming the vestry election was valid but bars the vestry from meeting until his interim rector arrives.
* May 7, 2025: Tom Hample is announced as interim rector. He previously worked under Bishop Warner.
* May 28, 2025: The vestry sends a formal misconduct report to Archbishop Steve Wood and DOMA’s standing committee. Eight charges are outlined.
* Jun 5, 2025: Bishop Warner replies to the parish. Confirms Tom Hample’s appointment and expresses disappointment with the vestry.
* Jun 10, 2025: DOMA’s standing committee responds to the vestry’s plea by urging them to attend the next parish meeting. No substantive action is taken. Entire vestry resigns.
* Jun 11, 2025: Bishop Warner and DOMA appoint a “transitional vestry.” They confirm they will not investigate the misconduct claims.
* Jun 14, 2025: Former vestry member William Eastman emails the parish, sharing the misconduct report and urging transparency.
* Jun 19, 2025: Interim rector publicly shares the names of vestry signatories and accuses them of sin for bypassing Matthew 18.
* Jul 6, 2025: DOMA Whistleblower tweets: “Spiritual abuse is taken lightly, and investigations into misconduct only exist to be weaponized.”
Here is the text of the vestry’s letter to the Archbishop, with their request for a formal inquiry:
Incarnation Anglican Church
Williamsburg, VA
27 May 2025
To:
The Most Rev. Stephen D. Wood, Archbishop
The Anglican Church in North America
440 Whilden Street
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
Dear Archbishop Wood,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We, the duly elected Vestry of Incarnation Anglican Church, write with heavy hearts and solemn conviction to request immediate relief from the conduct of the Rt. Rev. Christopher S. Warner, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Our parish has experienced significant dysfunction, pastoral harm, and decline in attendance and financial health as a result of Bishop Warner’s repeated departures from the canonical, spiritual, and relational standards required of a bishop in the Church.
The matters outlined herein reflect multiple grievous contraventions of canonical duty, pastoral responsibility, and episcopal integrity under 1 Peter 5:2–3; Titus 1:7–9; 1 Timothy 3; and Title III, Canon 8 of the Canons of the Anglican Church in North America that have gravely impaired the spiritual health, flourishing, governance, and unity of our congregation:
1. Neglect of Pastoral Oversight and Support:Through repeated and deleterious interventions by Canon for Clergy & Congregation Care Mary Hays, Bishop Warner neglected to address ongoing parish leadership conflicts and subterfuges fomented by the Senior Warden, undermined the Priest-in-Charge’s legitimate authority to maintain church order, and permitted unfounded insinuations of disciplinary charges to proceed against a priest under his care, thereby allowing the Church’s mission in the Gospel to stagnate and falter.
2. Manipulating and Undermining the Rector Search: Bishop Warner and Canon Hays directed a delay in the formation of a search committee, withheld interim pastoral support for four months, repeatedly insisted that the next rector be installed within an expedited six-month timeframe, and imposed substantial financial burdens by mandating costly arrangements for a part-time out-of-state interim rector with prior personal ties, in a scheme to unilaterally pressure the Vestry and search committee into advancing the Bishop’s preferred candidates.
3. Imposition of Ideological Requirements Against Parish Discernment: Bishop Warner sought to enforce a doctrinal stipulation in the parish profile that the next rector must be willing to receive Holy Communion from a female priest, contrary to the unanimous discernment of the Vestry and rector search committee—fully aware that this would divide the congregation and alienate a substantial number of members from the body of the church.
4. Public Maligning of Clergy Formerly Under His Pastoral Oversight: The Bishop maligned, knowingly mischaracterized, and instructed Vestry members to disparage a priest formerly under his care in public congregational settings, failing in his episcopal role as pastor.
5. Participation in a Campaign of Spiritual Harassment to Undermine Ecclesial Order: Bishop Warner enabled, encouraged, and actively participated in a pressure campaign of spiritual harassment orchestrated with Ms. [REDACTED], parish staff, and volunteer Deacon [REDACTED], directed at Vestry Members to intimidate, improperly influence, and obstruct a Vestry election which was later determined to be lawful by the bishop’s own chancellor.
6. Failure to Enforce Accountability for Public Disruption of a Lawful Vestry Election: Despite the premeditated and public disruption of a lawful Vestry election by the spouse of Ms. [REDACTED] and the husband of the Director of Children’s Ministries, Bishop Warner failed to hold these individuals accountable or adequately call them to repentance. Instead, he publicly commended Ms. [REDACTED] before the entire congregation, signaling approval for their conduct and emboldening further disorder.
7. Public Undermining of Vestry Members Without Attempts at Reconciliation: Bishop Warner publicly maligned Vestry Members by disclosing and misrepresenting selective contents of private and preliminary communications before the entire congregation without first seeking the Vestry Members’ private clarification or consent. He thereby irreparably compromised the trust necessary for the Vestry to engage with him directly in good faith.
8. Weaponization of Ecclesiastical Authority to Usurp Vestry Governance: Bishop Warner coerced a Member of the Vestry through ecclesiastical directives and spiritual pressure to unilaterally enter contractual and financial obligations with his preferred candidate for interim rector, thereby circumventing the Vestry’s canonical authority over temporal matters and violating the collaborative governance model essential to Anglican church order.
In light of these grave concerns, we respectfully request immediate relief under the appropriate canons of the Anglican Church in North America and Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. Specifically, we seek:
1. A formal inquiry into Bishop Warner’s conduct under Title III, Canon 8 to determine whether his actions constitute canonical violations, abuse of authority, or neglect of episcopal duty.
2. The emergency appointment of a trusted interim rector, selected by the Vestry, to stabilize the congregation, restore trust, and resume an open rector search. Since Bishop Warner’s April 30 intervention, ASA has declined to less than 50% of parish membership and roughly $70,000, or 25%, of annualized pledged giving has been lost. The congregation can no longer meet its financial obligations at current giving levels.
We submit this request out of sincere desire to restore health, trust, and proper order to the Church, and after numerous failed attempts to resolve concerns privately with Bishop Warner. We seek accountability and healing, and entrust this process to your prayerful discernment.
Please confirm receipt of this letter and advise us of the next appropriate steps. We are prepared to provide full documentation and testimony as needed.
Sincerely,
The Vestry
Incarnation Anglican Church
Williamsburg, VA
Our observations
In situations of ongoing conflict like this, we have found that the underlying issue is rarely what people say it is. Thus, we suspect that the issue of the ordination of women is either a non-issue or a minor concern that serves as a figurehead for the real problem.
Indeed, the allegations of abuse of power suggest a tug-of-war between the vestry and the bishop, with both sides believing they are in the right.
That said, this situation sounds like a case of skeletons in the closet at Incarnation, in which past conflict has been glossed over and repressed. When this happens, things go silent, sometimes for decades, before the underlying issues explode into view, often completely out of proportion to the importance of the immediate conflict.
Thus, we believe that Incarnation would greatly benefit from a professional intervention in which people are encouraged to work through concerns in a public and safe way. Doing so is rarely easy, but it’s necessary work and well worth the near-term discomfort.
There is some good news in all of this. Specifically, our experience is that ACNA is often more willing than the Episcopal Church to deal with such issues.
That’s not to say that ACNA always gets it right; indeed, there are some egregious issues of abuse within ACNA that have been badly handled.
But the standard TEC approach, which is for the bishop diocesan to brush off complaints while sitting in splendid silence — or, still worse, to attack the whistleblower — is much less common in ACNA.
That said, the letter from the Standing Committee, which offers no meaningful solutions, suggests that things could slide towards passive-aggressive inaction.
Therefore, we encourage our friends in ACNA to seek out professional conflict resolution resources to:
* Determine the root cause of this conflict.
* Create a safe environment to unpack shared trauma and concerns.
* Work towards resolution of past and current conflict.
* Establish healthy norms for the resolution of future disagreements.
Indeed, the current situation can rightly be viewed as a wonderful opportunity for growth if the church and DOMA handle things correctly.
On the other hand, the debacle in the Episcopal Diocese of New York, in which the diocese attacked and defamed the victim of sexual assault by three gay church members, including a priest, is an object lesson in what can happen when judicatories mishandle a problem. Indeed, that situation appears poised to go from bad to worse, and at this point, the damage to the church and its reputation is probably irreparable.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all involved in this challenging situation.
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