The break away Anglican District of Virginia announced Friday that Christ Church in Emporia and Grace Church in Purdy had become members. The district now includes 23 parishes that have cut ties with the Episcopal Church.
The Southern Virginia diocese has about 120 parishes, including more than two dozen in South Hampton Roads.
Church of the Messiah in Chesapeake quit the Episcopal denomination in 2006. Grace Episcopal Church in Newport News left a couple of years earlier.
Messiah, Christ and Grace Church/Purdy all contend that their congregations own their church building and grounds. The diocese argues that it owns the properties and that the congregations were only trustees.
The Episcopal Church has seen an internal split over denominational leaders' endorsement in 2003 of the ordination of a noncelibate gay man as bishop.
Traditionalists denounce gay ordination and also say the denomination is drifting from orthodox interpretation of Scripture.
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