'Extinct' Episcopal Parish Refuses to Hand Over Keys to Property

AgapePress ^ | 11/28/2005 | Jim Brown

[sionnsar]

(AgapePress) - An Episcopal congregation in Rochester, New York, is determined to hold on to its property -- despite being declared "extinct" by its diocese.

Bishop Jack McKelvy with the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester recently declared All Saints Episcopal Church "extinct" because of its opposition to the denomination's homosexual rights agenda. But the attorney for the parish says it is "alive in Christ" -- and anything but extinct.

While Bishop McKelvy wishes to take over the parish's property, the parish claims the diocese has no legal right to do so. Attorney Raymond Dague, who will represent All Saints should the congregation be sued by the diocese, says McKelvey came down on the parish like a "SWAT team."

"When the bishop came asking for the keys, we sent him packing with nothing but a handshake," the attorney explains. "We were very polite. He brought his chancellor, meaning his head lawyer, with him, and we shook hands, we exchanged business cards.

"He asked for the keys to the church," Dague continues. "He wanted possession of it, he wanted to install his pastor there. And we politely told him, 'No, you're not going to do that.'"

Dague says the standard under New York law does not allow the parish to be declared "extinct," so he does not believe the diocese can seize the parish's property through civil recourse. And while the dispute may eventually be hashed out in court, the attorney says he hopes that never happens.

"We're not going to sue the bishop," Dague says. "Will he sue us? Generally Christians are not supposed to be suing one another. I would hope that he would abide by that scriptural admonition -- but I am a little bit concerned because there was a very thinly veiled threat that a lawsuit may be coming. It's not coming from us."

The Episcopal bishop of Connecticut recently seized the property of an orthodox parish in Bristol. That parish, along with five other like-minded congregations, has since sued the diocese.

[John O]

I was not slamming the parishoners.

Glad to hear it.

Oh BTW, Welcome to FreeRepublic. (forgot that in my earlier post)

[beelzepug]

I made no reference whatsoever to your sign-on date. Nor did I say anything nasty. What I tried to convey was the fact that many of us have essentially been driven out of a church we grew up in and it is a touchy subject. It isn't a liberal vs. conservative issue so much as it is a Scriptural vs. apostasy issue.
That you are new here as someone else pointed out only means that you haven't had the opportunity to follow the hundreds of postings on the subject over the past nearly three years and didn't know better.
I couldn't care less if you're a liberal or lunch meat. But you'd do well do grow a thicker hide if you expect to survive around here.

[x5452]

wasn't talking about you actually.