Diocese seeks settlement over church

Facing the prospect of a divisive, expensive battle, the Episcopal Church Diocese of Northern California made a settlement offer on Nov. 9 to regain use of a church on Fifth Street now occupied by a congregation that severed its relationship with the church in December of 2006.

The diocese has made an offer to the congregation now known as St. John’s Anglican Church to pay roughly $1.5 million and relinquish endowments and other church holdings in exchange for the property at 40 Fifth St., said the Rev. Norman Cram, pastor of the new St. John’s Episcopal Church congregation, a group of people that separated from the Anglican group and now meet at Elim Lutheran Church in Petaluma.

The Rev. Britt Olson, canon of the diocese, said that this represents only a general description of the settlement offer.

“This description of the settlement isn’t inaccurate, but it’s a simplification of a complex series of issues,” said Olson. “And we’re not clear on the value of the property, so no exact figure was offered.”

St. John’s Anglican Church officials have requested time to review the settlement offer, and have not indicated when they will respond. The church was contacted, but no one wanted to comment.

This offer represents a major step in the ongoing dispute over the property, which began shortly after Dec. 17, 2006, when the vast majority of the 230 members of St. John’s voted to sever its 150-year relationship with the Episcopal Church and the local diocese due to moral differences, primarily whether or not gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve in positions of church leadership.

The vote was prompted by liberal positions taken by the diocese on such matters.

Cram, the rector of St. John’s from 1995 to 1999, soon formed a new St. John’s Episcopal Church congregation under the auspices of the diocese. Initially, a group of eight to 12 people met at members’ homes on Sundays, and in April, at the encouragement of the Rev. Tim Kellgren of Elim, they began gathering at this Lutheran church on Saturdays. The group has steadily grown, and now boasts over 60 people.

“Offering the space to us was an enormously generous thing to do,” Cram said, adding that his congregation will collaborate with Elim in offering a Christmas service this year.

The Episcopal Church diocese and the Anglican group both claim ownership of the church on Fifth Street; however, both groups have said that they might take legal action to resolve the dispute, but Olson and Cram hope that this won’t be necessary.

“I’m glad that the legal process is available, but it’s always a failure when Christians go to court against each other, because we need to come to a common understanding,” Olson said. “Also, the money used in court proceedings could be invested into mission and vital congregations.”

“Even though I recognize that courts are Biblical in heritage, litigation seems divisive and unchristian,” Cram added. “I don’t want to get into a lawsuit with David Miller and with the people I served. I continue to have a civil and trusting relationship with them, and don’t want it to be influenced by a lawsuit.

“They’re a wonderful group of people, and I personally like David very much,” Cram said. “I’m OK with mediation and negotiation, and hope that they’ll respond to the offer. I think that a settlement is realistic, but I’m biased and disposed to hope.”

Other congregations around the country also have opted to separate from the Episcopal Church over the gay/lesbian controversy and other moral issues.

“Still, less than 1 percent of the American Episcopal churches have broken off,” Cram said. “I don’t expect it to be a national trend, but again, I’m a prisoner of hope.

“And I want to do everything I can to maintain civility.”

(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@argus courier.com.)