There are very few christian churches that are seperate churches completely.
Nothing springs up without there being a source. The source is Jesus Christ.
Where the branches seperate from the root is really not all that important.
What is important is that they all stay connected to the root because without that connection they die.
Yes, they are a separate CHURCH from ALL others and yes, VERY separate from the one headed by the Pope in Rome.
"Not in Communion with".... says it ALL as far as I am concerned.