Mediation set for church dispute

St. John’s Episcopal Church and St. John’s Anglican Church indicated during a routine case management conference on March 17 that they are willing to participate in mediation to resolve their dispute over ownership of the 118-year-old church at 40 Fifth Street and its assets.

Sonoma County Judge Gary Nadler ordered that a formal settlement conference involving the Petaluma churches take place on May 27.

“I am grateful for a judicial system in which we shall be given the opportunity to sit down with our fellow Christians and find a way to peacefully settle our issues toward a transparent and charitable settlement,” said the Rev. Norm Cram, pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church.

The parties also agreed to a private mediation in April, in advance of the court-ordered settlement conference. If both attempts to settle the matter fail, a trial is set to begin on Sept. 18.

On Dec. 17, 2006, the vast majority of the 230 members of St. John’s Episcopal Church voted to sever its 150-year relationship with the Episcopal Church and Episcopal Church Diocese of Northern California due to moral differences, primarily whether or not gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve in church leadership positions.

This congregation renamed itself St. John’s Anglican Church, and has continued to meet in the church on Fifth Street. Meanwhile, a smaller group that splintered off from the congregation meets regularly at Elim Lutheran Church, and has retained the name St. John’s Episcopal Church.

St. John’s Anglican Church and the local diocese both have claimed ownership of the property on Fifth Street, however. In February, the diocese filed a lawsuit seeking possession of the church as well as bank accounts, endowments and other assets.

The lawsuit claims that the Anglican congregation changed the deed to the church property, along with some bylaws and articles, thereby clouding ownership of the building and assets.

(Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)