Los Angeles diocese wins court ruling

Friday, 26th June 2009
By George Conger

A California appeals court has ruled in favour of the Diocese of Los Angeles, holding that the congregation of St Luke’s Church in La Crescenta could not take its property with it when it quit the diocese.

On June 9 the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal upheld a 2007 lower court decision which ruled against the congregation, which in 2006 had quit the Episcopal Church for the Church of Uganda.

"The long history of the Episcopal Church in La Crescenta will continue with new leadership and the potential for sustained growth, and as an open source of full inclusion for all humanity," Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno told the Episcopal News Service after the decision was released. On June 11, the Rev Rob Holman, rector of the breakaway congregation, stated his congregation had “shed many tears at the thought of being deprived of our house of worship for these past 85 years. the rest