Diocese files lawsuit against congregation

http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/article/20080204/NEWS/480228106/1033/NEWS01

[The Press Democrat] 5 Feb 2008--A lawsuit was filed Monday against the Petaluma congregation that split from the national Episcopal Church over the issue of homosexuality but refused to vacate an historic church building.

The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California’s lawsuit seeks the return of the 117-year-old church and other assets, such as bank accounts and endowments, now held by St. John’s Anglican.

But a St. John’s Anglican attorney, the Rev. Lu Nguyen, said the parish has a legal right to the church.

He criticized the filing of the lawsuit, saying the diocese was jumping ahead of a pending state Supreme Court appeal involving a similar dispute in Southern California.