The Petaluma congregation that split from the Episcopal Church over the issue of homosexuality, taking a landmark downtown church with it, has rejected an offer to return the building, and the two sides appear headed to court, a local vestry member said Monday.
The impasse between St. John’s Anglican Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California is part of the national schism that began with the ordination of a gay bishop in New Hampshire in 2003 and church support for gay unions.
Following the lead of several dozen congregations nationwide, St. John’s Anglican’s 240 members voted in 2006 to cut ties with the national organization, renaming itself while holding on to the 117-year-old church. The congregation last month turned down an offer from the diocese for the building and refused efforts at mediation, said John Mills, a leader among Petaluma parishioners who did not secede.
At a meeting of the St. John’s Episcopal vestry last week, Mills reviewed a lawsuit against St. John’s Anglican that could be filed as soon as Monday.
“They just said, ‘We’re not interested,’” Mills said. “No discussion. No counter-offer. No anything. So we are moving forward with a lawsuit to retain the property.”
The Rev. David H. Miller of St. John’s Anglican did not return calls Monday seeking comment.
[Seriously, we want to leave and take your property with us... the California courts have already said that is not going to happen. They will learn soon enough.]
No comments:
Post a Comment