Parish votes to secede

Episcopal church joins breakaway Anglican network

Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 27, 2007 at midnight

Text size

More Local News

More stories »

The governing board of one of Colorado's largest Episcopal parishes voted Monday to secede from the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado and from the national church as well.

At the same time, the Rev. Don Armstrong took back control of the 2,000-member Grace and St. Stephen's parish in Colorado Springs, which he lost in December, when Bishop Rob O'Neill launched an investigation into what the diocese called "misapplied funds."

"I am sitting in my office for the first time in three months," Armstrong said in a telephone interview Monday. "I'm going to publicly clear my name by refuting (O'Neill's) accusations," he said.

Furthermore, he said, "The national church and the House of Bishops have made it clear there's no place or tolerance for conservative, orthodox Episcopalians."

The decision by the parish vestry reflects the split in the Anglican Communion, the worldwide association of national Anglican churches, over issues such as gay rights and scriptural authority.

It also sets up what's likely to be a bitter clash over the assets of Grace and St. Stephen's.

On Monday, O'Neill expressed "great sadness" over the news. He also removed all members of the vestry from office and declared the parish the property of the diocese.

Nine of the 11-member vestry voted to secede, said Jon Wroblewski, head of the group. Two members could not be reached. "But I anticipate they would have agreed," Wroblewski said, adding that he believes most of the parishioners will back the decision.

The parish was accepted Monday morning into a national network of conservative Anglican churches, called the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, Wroblewski said. CANA is under the jurisdiction of the Anglican province of Nigeria, one of the 38 provinces of the worldwide church.

CANA has become a haven for conservative breakaway parishes disturbed over the refusal of the Episcopal Church to retreat from its acceptance of openly gay bishops and same-sex blessings.

During a gathering last week in Texas of the House of Bishops, the American prelates said they would not comply with the majority wishes of the worldwide Anglican Communion to pull back from those positions.

Armstrong said, "I can no longer be under this ungodly authority."

The rector said he plans to conduct services at Grace and St. Stephen's on Sunday in direct defiance of O'Neill, who had prohibited him from having any contact with his parish of 20 years during the investigation. Armstrong on Monday also defied an order and openly talked about the charges, which he said are unfounded.

One year ago, the diocese seized Armstrong's church records, but the formal, three- month investigation began only in December. It was due to conclude this week.

Throughout the church investigation, Armstrong said, he and his attorney were never allowed to speak to the specifics of the accusations, "only to points of canon (church) law," while O'Neill was allowed to "talk about nothing but the accusations."

"(The diocese) had no interest in hearing anything that would interrupt their fantasy of getting rid of me," Armstrong said.

Armstrong, 58, is a nationally recognized conservative who has clashed repeatedly with the bishop. Last week, Armstrong informed the vestry he had decided to leave The Episcopal Church USA and join CANA as an individual priest. He said the final straw was the House of Bishops' decision.

By then, the vestry board was aware that "feelings were very strong and very unhappy" in the parish, both about the direction of The Episcopal Church and about O'Neill's investigation of their rector, Wroblewski said. The vestry agreed to take a vote about joining Armstrong.

Letters were mailed Monday to parishioners, who are being given a 40-day period of "discernment" in which individuals can decide whether they want to continue attending the church or go elsewhere.

In a statement O'Neill signaled his intent to hold on to the parish.

"The fact is people may leave The Episcopal Church, but parishes cannot," O'Neill said. "Grace and St. Stephen's Church remains a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado."

In response, Armstrong said: "We're no longer under Rob O'Neill's authority, so his statement is of no interest to us."

Breaking the silence

On Dec. 27, 2006, Episcopal Bishop Rob O'Neill removed the Rev. Don Armstrong from his Grace and St. Stephen's parish. He also banned the rector from any church contact while the diocese investigated an allegation that Armstrong was responsible for "misapplied funds."

• THE ACCUSATIONS

He didn't pay taxes on the home provided by the diocese.

• ARMSTRONG'S RESPONSE

Not true.

He didn't report funeral and wedding stipends as income.

Not true. "Most of what I get I give away (to the needy) and what I do keep I declare."

The vestry, the parish governing board, provided undergraduate scholarships for the Armstrong children.

"A very typical gesture" in large churches.

The parish reimbursed him for entertainment.

The parish had allowed Armstrong to use discretionary funds for entertaining until the diocese determined it wasn't proper.

Timeline

• 2003: Episcopal Church votes at national convention to allow openly gay bishops and same-sex blessings. Colorado's bishop, Jerry Winterrowd, votes yes.

• 2004: New Bishop Rob O'Neill voices support for gay rights in the church.

• 2005: Worldwide Anglican report chides American church for rush to expand gay rights.

• Feburary: Majority of primates governing the worldwide Anglican Communion call on the American church to step back from its gay rights position.

• March: American House of Bishops rejects the primates' plea but affirms its desire to stay in the Anglican Communion. On Monday Grace and St. Stephen's vestry votes to leave The Episcopal Church.

What's next

The Rev. Don Armstrong plans to return to Grace and St. Stephen's parish at the 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services Sunday.

torkelsonj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5055

Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain News