GROTON, CT: Bishop Seabury Church sold to evangelical Baptist congregation
By David W. Virtue DD
www.virtueonline.org
August 21, 2014
The Diocese of Connecticut, which is bleeding money and people and who recently let a bishop go because it can no longer support three bishops, has sold a flagship parish after the congregation was forced to leave following the parish and priest's rejection of the theological and moral innovations of The Episcopal Church.
The building, formerly known as Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church on North Road in Groton, has been sold to Stedfast (sic) Babtist Church, which describes itself as independent Babtist with "one message--the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, and one ministry--the ministry He has given us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." The church is also the home of several other ministries.
No price was given for the sale. The Land Clerk's office in Groton said there was an exemption clause on the sale of the building, so no price was available. The diocese also did not reveal how much it received in their press release.
By David W. Virtue DD
www.virtueonline.org
August 21, 2014
The Diocese of Connecticut, which is bleeding money and people and who recently let a bishop go because it can no longer support three bishops, has sold a flagship parish after the congregation was forced to leave following the parish and priest's rejection of the theological and moral innovations of The Episcopal Church.
The building, formerly known as Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church on North Road in Groton, has been sold to Stedfast (sic) Babtist Church, which describes itself as independent Babtist with "one message--the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, and one ministry--the ministry He has given us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." The church is also the home of several other ministries.
No price was given for the sale. The Land Clerk's office in Groton said there was an exemption clause on the sale of the building, so no price was available. The diocese also did not reveal how much it received in their press release.
The message of Stedfast Babtist is the same message that the former occupants under Fr. Ron Gauss declared, but a very different message from the one proclaimed by Bishop Ian Douglas, the diocesan Bishop of Connecticut, whose gospel is more one of inclusion and diversity.
Douglas had already lost what became known as the "Ct. Six" -- the most active orthodox Episcopal parishes in his diocese -- and with it a sizeable portion of income to the diocese. Fr. Gauss was one of the original "Ct Six." After the group lost their suit in federal court to preserve their rights of worship, the Bishop of Connecticut and his Diocese filed suit against the rector and vestry of Bishop Seabury Church in 2008 to establish their ownership of the property under the supposed terms of the trust unilaterally imposed by the malodorous Dennis Canon. The trial court ruled against the parish in 2010; the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld the trial court's decision in September 2011; and the United States Supreme Court declined to review that decision earlier this year.
Douglas set a policy, reinforced by the national Church and Mrs. Jefferts Schori, of "no negotiations for properties and no sale to Anglican churches." The parish had attempted to negotiate with the bishop but to no avail. Fr. Gauss had sought a negotiated settlement, but the response was a temporary rental -- nothing else.
According to a press release from the diocese, the last 18 months have seen lay and ordained leaders from the Bishops' Office and from Episcopal parishes in Gales Ferry, New London, Niantic, Norwich, Poquetanuck, Stonington, Mystic, and Yantic attempting ways of discerning what God is up to in Groton and its environs, and how the resources of the Bishop Seabury Church might best be used to extend God's mission in Groton and across Connecticut.
In a community-wide meeting in January, representatives of the neighborhood, social service agencies, other faith communities, and municipal offices all shared their hopes and dreams, needs and aspirations for Groton. The meeting came up empty-handed despite the need for housing for wounded veterans, a community center, and a soup kitchen. In the end, it was decided that the best option would be to sell the building to another Christian community and use the proceeds to support a new missionary program of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut if indeed that ever comes about.
So with all these efforts of liberal do gooders, and despite the tremendous need in the area, all the surrounding parish leaders could not come up with anything, even with a soup kitchen, to keep the property from being sold. Finding no basis therefore in keeping the property, the diocese sold it to an evangelical Babtist congregation who, they say, will keep the gospel alive under the noses of liberal Episcopalians.
"There is irony heaped upon irony here," the Ven. Ronald S. Gauss, Rector of Bishop Seabury Anglican Church, Gales Ferry, CT, told VOL. "These Babtists no more tolerate homosexual behavior than we do; they have a clear fix on the gospel as we do; and now they have bought the property from one of TEC's most liberal bishops. God has got a great sense of humor."
A further irony is that the Babtist church is growing and they were looking to relocate to a new and larger facility. The money was too good to pass up for Bishop Douglas as he watches his parishes age and wither and income into the diocese drops.
In a press release, Douglas said of the sale, "I am delighted that the building formerly known as Bishop Seabury Church will continue to be a house of prayer for sisters and brothers in Christ. And I am particularly excited that the resources freed up by the sale of the building will help to underwrite a new missionary program through the Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. After all, Bishop Samuel Seabury, the first bishop in The Episcopal Church, was a pioneering missionary in these parts in the early years of American independence. I can think of no better use of the money coming from the sale of the church that bears his name than to support new missionaries in Connecticut today."
Said Fr. Gauss; "If the building was not going to be used by our congregation, it couldn't have been put to better use. One note is that Bishop Seabury Church in all of its 140 years of existence was never called Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church. The original name was Bishop Seabury Memorial Church, and later shortened to Bishop Seabury Church. The Diocese has removed The Seabury Window, and all other memorial items (The Seabury Pulpit, Altars and Lecterns) from the property. It is my prayer that they are put to good use and not just stored away somewhere or sold. Hopefully the funds obtained from the "short sale" of Bishop Seabury Church will be used to present the REAL Gospel of Jesus the Christ, and not the socially correct Gospel that caused Bishop Seabury Church to depart the Episcopal Church."
Douglas had already lost what became known as the "Ct. Six" -- the most active orthodox Episcopal parishes in his diocese -- and with it a sizeable portion of income to the diocese. Fr. Gauss was one of the original "Ct Six." After the group lost their suit in federal court to preserve their rights of worship, the Bishop of Connecticut and his Diocese filed suit against the rector and vestry of Bishop Seabury Church in 2008 to establish their ownership of the property under the supposed terms of the trust unilaterally imposed by the malodorous Dennis Canon. The trial court ruled against the parish in 2010; the Connecticut Supreme Court upheld the trial court's decision in September 2011; and the United States Supreme Court declined to review that decision earlier this year.
Douglas set a policy, reinforced by the national Church and Mrs. Jefferts Schori, of "no negotiations for properties and no sale to Anglican churches." The parish had attempted to negotiate with the bishop but to no avail. Fr. Gauss had sought a negotiated settlement, but the response was a temporary rental -- nothing else.
According to a press release from the diocese, the last 18 months have seen lay and ordained leaders from the Bishops' Office and from Episcopal parishes in Gales Ferry, New London, Niantic, Norwich, Poquetanuck, Stonington, Mystic, and Yantic attempting ways of discerning what God is up to in Groton and its environs, and how the resources of the Bishop Seabury Church might best be used to extend God's mission in Groton and across Connecticut.
In a community-wide meeting in January, representatives of the neighborhood, social service agencies, other faith communities, and municipal offices all shared their hopes and dreams, needs and aspirations for Groton. The meeting came up empty-handed despite the need for housing for wounded veterans, a community center, and a soup kitchen. In the end, it was decided that the best option would be to sell the building to another Christian community and use the proceeds to support a new missionary program of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut if indeed that ever comes about.
So with all these efforts of liberal do gooders, and despite the tremendous need in the area, all the surrounding parish leaders could not come up with anything, even with a soup kitchen, to keep the property from being sold. Finding no basis therefore in keeping the property, the diocese sold it to an evangelical Babtist congregation who, they say, will keep the gospel alive under the noses of liberal Episcopalians.
"There is irony heaped upon irony here," the Ven. Ronald S. Gauss, Rector of Bishop Seabury Anglican Church, Gales Ferry, CT, told VOL. "These Babtists no more tolerate homosexual behavior than we do; they have a clear fix on the gospel as we do; and now they have bought the property from one of TEC's most liberal bishops. God has got a great sense of humor."
A further irony is that the Babtist church is growing and they were looking to relocate to a new and larger facility. The money was too good to pass up for Bishop Douglas as he watches his parishes age and wither and income into the diocese drops.
In a press release, Douglas said of the sale, "I am delighted that the building formerly known as Bishop Seabury Church will continue to be a house of prayer for sisters and brothers in Christ. And I am particularly excited that the resources freed up by the sale of the building will help to underwrite a new missionary program through the Missionary Society of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. After all, Bishop Samuel Seabury, the first bishop in The Episcopal Church, was a pioneering missionary in these parts in the early years of American independence. I can think of no better use of the money coming from the sale of the church that bears his name than to support new missionaries in Connecticut today."
Said Fr. Gauss; "If the building was not going to be used by our congregation, it couldn't have been put to better use. One note is that Bishop Seabury Church in all of its 140 years of existence was never called Bishop Seabury Episcopal Church. The original name was Bishop Seabury Memorial Church, and later shortened to Bishop Seabury Church. The Diocese has removed The Seabury Window, and all other memorial items (The Seabury Pulpit, Altars and Lecterns) from the property. It is my prayer that they are put to good use and not just stored away somewhere or sold. Hopefully the funds obtained from the "short sale" of Bishop Seabury Church will be used to present the REAL Gospel of Jesus the Christ, and not the socially correct Gospel that caused Bishop Seabury Church to depart the Episcopal Church."
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