I apologize profusely for misstating the Church’s position–I did try to indicate in my original post that I was speaking only to my own personal knowledge, but clearly that knowledge was far more lacking that I realized.

I defer to the Church’s officers and spokespeople and will not again attempt to characterize its positions.

Speaking only for myself, I am glad that the Church’s position focuses on the land use and urban planning issues and does not deal in the kind of scare mongering I have seen other advocates employ.

I am very active and involved in both Christ Church and the School. The location of court house issue has not been discussed from the church pulpit or in the bulletin because those are not the proper mediums for such discussions. It is the job of the Vestry and the School Board to deal with such matters and they have addressed this matter and they do have a position.

Indeed, a few months back, the Senior Warden, the Head of School, myself (wearing many hats including one as a lawyer who practices in the court), and other church & school members attended a Town Center Citizens Action Committee meeting to discuss the issue with some of Rockville’s council members and state delegates. The Senior Warden thereafter wrote a letter to the Governor articulating the Church’s position on the matter.

Rest assured, the reasons articulated did not include fear of “scary people.” The issues are far more complex and can best be summed up by the Governor’s own recent description of the proposed location: It amounts to “urban planning malfeasance.” Any reasonable assessment of the relevant facts leads to that conclusion. That is why those advocating for it have resorted to name calling and insults.

Now that you have some facts, perhaps you will reconsider who it is that is doing the church a disservice? As I teach my Sunday School students, we are called to do what is right even when it’s hard or unpopular. We also have an obligation to seek wisdom and to use it wisely. I will continue to practice what I preach, as best I can, notwithstanding the insults.

Lynn Perry Parker, Esq.

Thanks Lynn! That’s a very helpful clarification that sheds light (not heat) on the matter.

Just think of the gridlock that will ensue on Washingotn St. all day long as people search in vain for parking. Christ Episcopal will likely have to hire guards to keep courthouse goers from parking in our lot – the closest lot not already protected against people who have business elsewhere in the neighborhood. If the church and school don’t have an official position on this, we sure better get one. I will bring this to the church warden’s attention today. Thanks, eledbetter, for pointing this out.

While many who oppose the “library” location for the new court house do indeed use the argument about proximity to Christ Episcopal Church (and, more pointedly, to the School), I know of no official position that the Church or the School has taken on the subject.

So, until such a position is taken (or I learn that it already has been taken), we will do our best not to imply that they have done so.

Thank you again for the needed correction.

In commentary here and elsewhere opponents of locating the Courthouse at the former Library Site repeatedly cite its proximity to Chist Church and Christ Episcopal School as a point justifying their opposition.

While I am just a rank and file parishoner and do not speak for the parish or school, to my knowledge Christ Church and CES have taken no such position on the issue. It has not been mentioned in our church bulletin or discussed from the pulpit. The Church is not rallying opposition to the library site or expressing any official preference for one location over the other.

And this makes sense. We are already neighbors to the courthouse complex. Whether the courthouse is 40 yards closer makes less than no difference to the work of the Church and School.

I do wish that opponents of the library location seeking to enlist my church and its school in their cause would do us the courtesy of contacting us for our own views. In assuming that we oppose the library site, you attribute to Christ Church a wiff of “not wanting to be near those scary bad people.” That’s not the way we feel, its not what we think, and I think attibuting those views to us–even by implication–does us a disservice.