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NEWPORT BEACH, CA: Court Pushes Rector and Parishioners out of St. James
Plans are in place for a new church location, says evangelical Anglican rector
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
August 9, 2013
After nine years of legal wrangling, the $20 million church property of St. James Anglican Church, Newport Beach, CA, will revert back to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles in September.The Rev. Richard Crocker said the court imposed a $1 million bond and gave the church 45 days to clear the property if they cannot come up with the money. They will leave, however they will also appeal that decision, he told VOL.
In a letter to his parish Crocker said, "One of today's key decisions was the bond amount required which would allow us to remain on our properties during appeal. The Judge set a very large bond amount (in legal terminology, an "undertaking" of just under $1,000,000, which was far beyond what we considered appropriate or even possible. The alternative then left for us is that we will be required to move off the properties during the appeal process. He said attorneys negotiated behind closed doors allowing the congregation to remain on the property for 45 days, hold worship services, other events and do day-to-day church business until the properties are turned over on September 21."
Crocker added that as difficult as the change may be, they would transition well. "Be assured, plans are already in place for our new worship location." The plan calls for responding with pastoral care for parishioners with anger, grief, or other concerns, and the variety of ways we will remain connected in this important time.In an e-mail to VOL, the priest wrote that the church is not conceding defeat. "The appeal will continue but the court has laid down financial conditions far beyond what we are prepared to pay for us to stay on the property during appeal, so we have to move off." The Vestry has resolved to appeal the decision of the lower court.
"St. James Church separated from the Episcopal Church in 2004, one of the first to do so in the current round, so we have had a long time to think about these issues. The possibility of a move has been there through that time, we have discussed the possibility many times, and we are expecting to take the vast majority of the congregation with us. The Vestry is firmly committed to orthodoxy in faith and morals."
Crocker noted that average Sunday attendance is about 300 spread over three services with different styles of worship at each service.
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NO SHADOW CONGREGATION
Asked who would occupy the property once they have gone, the priest said there is no shadow congregation. "We are not aware of any plans for the continuation of Episcopal ministry and worship though it would not surprise us if the bishop arranged some sort of service to mark their occupancy - whether a sustainable congregation would emerge is another matter. Their victory is entirely pyrrhic."
Crocker said the life, ministry and staff would continue under a budget that should be similar to previous years. "The first Sunday in a new place will be the first Sunday of a planned Fall series outlining a new vision for St James Church. That is motivating me in the midst of all the legal and relocation matters."
He said that the revisionist Bishop of Los Angeles J. Jon Bruno and the lesbian assisting bishop Mary Glasspool were present at some of the court hearings, but neither party had much interaction.
"We are in good heart and have received many encouraging messages of support from near and far, and many testimonies of the blessings congregations can receive when they go through such a move."
"This is a new day. Though it will take time to adjust to this change, our parish family, our mission, and our Savior will remain the same. 'Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, and today and forever.' Hebrew 13:8"
HISTORY
The parish finally split from the Episcopal Church in 2004 following the consecration of an avowed homosexual to the episcopacy in the person of Gene Robinson. St. James Anglican Church later became a parish in the Diocese of Western Anglicans in the Anglican Church in North America. Since 2004, the church has received national attention over its legal case against the Episcopal Church, forcing realignment over the Episcopal Church's departure from biblical faith and morals forcing the parish to withdraw from the national church and join with an orthodox Anglican province.
Starting with the leadership of Fr. David Anderson in the 1990s, (now a bishop in the Anglican Province of Nigeria), the church began to play an important role in the orthodox wing of the Episcopal Church. In 1996, new administration, fellowship and education facilities were completed and in 2001, a new sanctuary was completed. In 2002, Anderson retired and currently serves as Rector Emeritus. He was succeeded by Rev. Praveen Bunyan in 2003.
Years of conflict over doctrinal and ideological differences with the Episcopal Church led to a tense and frayed relationship. Under Bunyan's leadership, steps to disassociate with the Episcopal Church were initiated. In August 2004, the theological differences reached a point they believed they could no longer stay in TEC. This led the rector, wardens, and vestry to vote overwhelmingly to disaffiliate with the Episcopal Church and to affiliate with the conservative Anglican Church of Uganda. These Uganda parishes in the US later merged into the Anglican Church in North America. A parish vote also supported the decision.
St. James was later joined in secession by All Saints Church in Long Beach and St. David's Church in North Hollywood. All three churches were then sued for their property by the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles and the national Episcopal Church.
In January 2006, an Orange County Superior Court judge threw the lawsuit out, claiming that the Episcopal Church had no standing to bring their suit against St. James or the other two churches. However, in June 2007, a California appellate court reversed the decision. This led to St. James appealing the decision to the California Supreme Court, where it was widely-believed that the church would win, since there was no precedence in California history for a denomination confiscating the property of a local church which held the deed.
In January 2009, in an unexpected decision, the California Supreme Court ruled against St. James. The court stated that because it was founded as an Episcopal Church, it could not take the property with it when it seceded even though the church holds the deed to the multi-million dollar property. St. James is currently considering taking its case back to the trial court level and possibly an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In May 2013, Judge Kim G. Dunning reaffirmed her May 1 order to return the property to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church, sent a letter to Christianity Today magazine offering the campus of his Lake Forest, California mega church to St. James to use if they are forced to vacate their Newport Beach property. Rev. Crocker responded to Warren's offer with the following, "We are overwhelmed by his generosity. It is an encouraging sign of support from Christians in the community."
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