LA 'Anglican' Church fights for 'Episcopal Church' building

LA CRESCENTA - The conflict between St. Luke's of the Mountains Anglican Church and the Episcopal denomination now enters a legal phase, as the two sides battle in court over the parish's stone church.

In 1924, the congregation laid the cornerstone of the church, located in the 2500 block of Foothill Boulevard. It was built and maintained with contributions from church members, and is owned by a nonprofit organization established by the parish.

In 1940, the church joined the Episcopal Church USA, where it remained until February, when members voted to leave the 2.3 million-member denomination to join the Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda.

The ECUSA, the American branch of the Anglican church, has been in turmoil since its liberal members elected an openly gay bishop in 2003. Traditionally, the Episcopal and Anglican churches have professed that the Bible defines homosexual behavior as sin. Hundreds of congregations that cling to the traditional interpretations of the Bible have left the denomination or stand opposed to its liberal direction.

St. Luke's leaders said they left because the ECUSA has abandoned orthodox Christian teachings on the issues of the authority of the Bible and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation.

The lawsuit's plaintiffs include Patricia Huber, a member of the church for about 70 years, the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles and its leader, Bishop Jon Bruno. The case was filed against St. Luke's on April 24.

The lawsuit alleges that the church is subject to the rules of the ECUSA, which state the church property is held in trust for the denomination. When the church joined the ECUSA, it agreed to hold its property in accordance with the denomination's rules, the lawsuit states.

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