The long-running property dispute down in Colorado Springs appears to be wrapped up, with the judge ruling that the landmark church belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado, not the break-away contingent following Rev. Don Armstrong.
Ownership has been in dispute since March 2007, when some members and leaders of Grace Church and St. Stephen’s left the national body over theological differences. The breakaway group aligned itself with the conservative Convocation of Anglicans in Virginia but continued to worship in the building.
Rev. Alan R. Crippen, spokesman for the breakaway parish, said the group probably won’t appeal. […] The breakaway parish will lose the building, trade name and Web domain. The congregation plans to meet elsewhere.
The Episcopal faithful will begin worship at the church again on Palm Sunday, 5 April.
(via BD)
Palm Sunday?
Perfect. 🙂
ThinkingAnglicans has an excellent news round-up: http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/003714.html
The court judgment is here: http://www.graceststephensepiscopal.org/Legal/20090324—Grace_Church_Pleadings_Courts_Order_(A0140523).PDF
VirtueOnline includes the normal Orthodoxy-good-Episcopalians-bad routine: http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=10144
On the flip side, the Episcopal News Service has the official TEC reaction: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_106407_ENG_HTM.htm
The official diocesan reaction here: http://www.coloradodiocese.org/06_newsandevents/PDFs/court_ruling_statement_march09.pdf
And things remain complex, as Armstrong’s camp argues for more time to leave, the Diocese worries about what might walk out the door with them, and mutterings about appeals are denied then restated: http://www.gazette.com/news/property_50484___article.html/church_tejon.html
The judge now says the Armstrong group has to be out by a week from Friday (3 Apr), but he has until 1 May to move out of the rectory. http://www.gazette.com/articles/parish_50567___article.html/anglican_church.html