Lamb can play the snake all he wants, but there is court precedence in California that the property is the congregation's, NOT the denomination's. His tough language is very likely merely an attempt at intimidation--for if they don't back down, he likely will have to.
Typical Jerry.
This has no real weight as he is a real lame duck bishop, and the recent court rulings in California have been in favor of the parish leaving a diocese.
It depends if the congregation did its homework. There isn't enough here to tell. If they did, they probably shouldn't have asked for release, but should have just informed him that they had changed the sign.