Grace and St Stephen’s, the largest parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado (after the Cathedral) has voted (in its vestry) to secede from the diocese.
At the same time, the Rev. Don Armstrong took back control of the 2,000-member parish for the first time since being put under investigation in December by Bishop Rob O’Neill for what the diocese called “misapplied funds.”
“I am sitting in my office for the first time in three months,” Armstrong said in a telephone interview. “Now that I’m no longer a priest under Rob O’Neill’s authority I can say or do what I want.
[…] The parish was accepted Monday morning into a national network of conservative Anglican churches, called the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, (CANA), Wroblewski said. CANA is under the jurisdiction of the Anglican province of Nigeria, one of the 38 provinces of the worldwide church, as is the Episcopal Church USA.
CANA has become a haven for conservative breakaway parishes disturbed over the refusal of the Episcopal Church USA to retreat from its acceptance of openly gay bishops and same-sex blessings.
Which, of course, raises once again the issue of who actually owns the parish assets. Legal hilarity will ensue.
Of course, given that Grace and St Stephens has contributed zilch to the the diocese or the national church, it’s not like they’ve been a real member for quite some time.
The parish’s poetical resolution can be found here. The vestry’s message to the parish is here. The parish’s official press release (can’t have a schism without a press release) is here.
The diocesan reaction to the action can be found here.
I think you left out a key point:
The diocese seized Armstrong’s church records one year ago but its formal, three-month investigation only began in December and was due to conclude this week.
Saying that I hope that the ECUSA seizes the Church and its property.
Every time I read of one of these secessions, it’s always a gigantic mega-parish that’s been going its own way for years, with a controversial “big man” at the helm. Always makes me think of the Living Color song “Cult of Personality” for some reason.
So they weren’t contributing to the diocese or the national church? Nice of them.
There was an initial investigation begun a year ago, but Rev Armstrong was removed from his position and put under impairment in late December (right after Christmas) while the formal investigation concluded.
Armstrong’s supporters have been crying “oppression” and claiming it’s all a conspiracy against him — but, honestly, his shenanigans and the like long ago gave the bishop plenty of rope to hang him with without having to trump up charges (whatever the financial improprieties turn out to be).
From what I’ve read, in Colorado at least the legal system tends to favor the diocese as the property owner, so they stand a good chance of holding on to the property. What will happen to the parish itself remains to be seen — even without the building, I suspect most of the members will leave (one can’t imagine their staying with Rev Armstrong as rector without being sympathetic to his cause).
And, yes, Ginny, there does seem to be a “cult of personality” aspect to some of these megaparishes, which is a darned shame (and something the church usually tries to avoid).
The non-giving status of Grace & St Stephen’s was something of a scandal (or badge of honor, depending on one’s faction) in the diocese for a number of years. I can recall seeing that status, and hearing debates over whether a parish that doesn’t contribute to the diocese should be given any voice in diocesan matters. The bishop, contrary to his Evil Overlord image amongst conservatives, never took any action to so exclude them.
More here and here. It’s so refreshing to see that Mean Jean isn’t taking sides or showing any bias in her reporting. Me being me and if I were Bishop, I would be down there Saturday night changing the locks on the doors of Grace & St. Stephens.
Oh….nice use of Ellipses Jean….making it seem like a non-crime…something just made up by the Diocese
(note: In the print edition it says “hundreds”…which I get the feeling is more in tune with Jean’s hatred fueled fantasy’s)
Odd how she always seems to be able to get the Conservative point of view out there in the end when really this was all that needed to be said.
Yep, you can have the perish, but not any of the stuff. So, Since the congregation hasn’t been spending any money on the National or Diocese related things, they should be able to put up a standard Springs Mega-Church in a year or so.
*sigh*
Since comments are off on the one I wanted to comment on, I will comment here:
Jean is in her own little world isn’t she…that timeline is just a lie really. That woman makes me bonkers.
Argh. Sorry about that.
Yeah — it was only when I started really looking at it in detail that I realized it was just … kinda … nonsense.
I think she reads TitusOnline to get her info.