A California judge has ruled against a conservative breakaway Anglican congregation in a property dispute between it and The Episcopal Church.
Orange County Superior Court Judge Kim G. Dunning ruled last week that the property of St. James Anglican Church of Newport Beach belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
"As a matter of law, the Diocese is entitled to enforce the trust in its favor and eject the current occupants," reads the court order. "All the church property acquired by and held in the name of St. James Parish is held in trust for the Episcopal Church and the Diocese, which have the exclusive right to possession and dominion and control." more >>
A United Methodist Church minister who is also dean of Yale Divinity School will face an ecclesiastical court for officiating his homosexual son's wedding in New York last year.
After the Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Ogletree officiated his son's gay wedding, Methodist leaders demanded he be charged with violating the UMC's ban on clergy performing same-sex marriages.
"I was inspired … I actually wasn't thinking of this as an act of civil disobedience or church disobedience. I was thinking of it as a response to my son," said Ogletree to the New York Times. "Sometimes, when what is officially the law is wrong, you try to get the law changed … But if you can't, you break it." more >>
[UPDATE: Monday, May 6, 2013 4:50 p.m.
Joseph Zwilling, director of Communications for the Archdiocese of New York, released this statement to The Christian Post in response to the gay rights supporters' protest:
"Yesterday, prior to the 10:15 a.m. Mass at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, a small group of individuals approached the Cathedral with blackened hands, as a form of protest in response to Cardinal Dolan's blog post, 'All Are Welcome.' Although organizers have attempted to call yesterday's events by another name, it is clear that they were trying to make a statement, had hoped to get media attention to spread their message, and were using the setting of the Mass in Saint Patrick's Cathedral as their forum. more >>

In anticipation of its transfer to a Catholic sanctuary in June, Crystal Cathedral Ministries recently held a moving sale.
Once led by the Rev. Robert H. Schuller, CCM sold off books, office supplies, music, knick-knacks, inspirational gifts, and other collectibles Saturday, from the morning until early afternoon.
According to an ad posted in the Orange County Register, the sale was held at the Family Life Center on the third floor of the Cathedral, with transactions being done with cash only. more >>

The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled in favor of The Episcopal Church against a congregation that voted to leave the denomination over its liberal theological views.
In a decision issued Thursday, the Court decided that The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia owned the property of the Falls Church, rather than the approximately 3,000-strong departing Falls Church Anglican congregation.
In the majority opinion written by Justice Cleo E. Powell, the Court stated that while the property belongs to The Episcopal Church and its Diocese, ownership of the funds tied to the property is still undecided. more >>
The provisional bishop of The Episcopal Church in South Carolina has sent out letters to an estimated 140 clergy seeking clarification as to whether or not they will be departing the denomination.
The Right Rev. Charles G. vonRosenberg, bishop of TECSC, sent out the letters to priests and deacons who had not been in attendance for the conventions held by the "continuing Episcopalians" of the South Carolina Diocese.
"I invite you to make known your allegiance to TEC and, if you wish, to request a time to speak with me about this matter," read one of the letters, according to a TECSC press release posted Thursday. more >>