Update: Grace Church building trial

From Colorado Springs-

THE BACKGROUND

Grace Church & St. Stephen's and the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado are battling for legal ownership of a $17 million Gothic church and other property at 601 N. Tejon St. The trial started Feb. 10 and is expected to last at least until mid-March.

Grace Church & St. Stephen's is a congregation that broke away from the Episcopal Church in March 2007 over theological differences, but has continued to worship in the Tejon Street building that has housed an Episcopal parish since 1926. The breakaway congregation - the plaintiff in the case - maintains that since 1973 it's been a separate corporation from the diocese and therefore owns the property. The diocese says it owns the property because Grace has always been within the national body, and canon law states that church property is owned by the Episcopal Church.


DEVELOPMENTS THIS WEEK

Testimony centered on Grace's contention that it holds legal title to the Tejon Street property. The highlight of the week was testimony from the Rev. Donald Armstrong, rector of Grace Church. Armstrong, who was on the stand Tuesday and Wednesday, testified that the diocese was aware that Grace Church, acting as an independent corporation, was buying and selling property without diocesan approval, yet never objected. He also pointed out the millions of dollars of renovations Grace has done since he became rector in 1987, and how the church did not seek renovation approval from the diocese.

More here-

http://www.gazette.com/articles/church_49074___article.html/grace_update.html