WELCOME HOME: The Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah Georgia belongs to TEC and not the Anglican Church of Uganda

Breaking: Ga. Supreme Court says Christ, Savannah belongs to TEC

¨In a 5-1 decision, the Georgia Supreme Court this morning decided that Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah belonged to to the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Georgia, not a breakaway faction aligned with the Anglican Church of Uganda...¨ please read it all, By Jim Naughton HERE (Read the opinion.)

A WORD OF CAUTION From Wounded Bird/Grandmere Mimi:

¨The Episcopal Church is not a congregational church. Anyone is free to leave but not with the property. Are you watching Bp. Mark Lawrence of the Diocese of South Carolina? Are you, as a bishop of the Episcopal Church, permitted to give away what is not yours? Of course, certain folks in the diocese may believe theirs is a special case. We shall see...¨  HERE

Georgia high court sides with national Episcopal Church in property spat with Savannah congregation

¨Georgia's highest court has sided with the national Episcopal Church in a property dispute with the oldest church in Georgia.


The Georgia Supreme Court voted six to one to uphold a lower court's October 2009 ruling confirming the national Episcopal Church's claim to historic Christ Church in Savannah.

The dispute arose after members of the local congregation decided in 2007 to leave the Episcopal Church, which they said was straying from Biblical teachings. After the split, the Georgia diocese and the national church claimed ownership of the church building...¨ HERE

BACKGROUND to ¨Christ Church¨ Property Dispute: ¨I must protest this unwarranted incursion into The Episcopal Church. I am concerned that you seem to feel it appropriate to visit, preach, and exercise episcopal ministry within the territory of this Church, and I wonder how you would receive similar behavior in Uganda...¨ Presiding Bishop Kathrine Jefferts Schori, Primate, The Episcopal Church

May 12, 2008

FROM: Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori
Primate, The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion.

TO: The Most Revd Henry Luke Orombi Archbishop of Uganda and Bishop of Kampala PO Box 14123 Kampala, Uganda, East Africa

¨My dear brother,

I understand from advertising here that you plan to visit a congregation in the Diocese of Georgia on 14 May of this year. The diocesan, Bishop Henry Louttit, has not given any invitation for you to do so, nor received any information from you about your planned visit. I must protest this unwarranted incursion into The Episcopal Church. I am concerned that you seem to feel it appropriate to visit, preach, and exercise episcopal ministry within the territory of this Church, and I wonder how you would receive similar behavior in Uganda. These actions violate the spirit and letter of the work of the Windsor Report, and only lead to heightened tensions. We are more than willing to receive you for conversation, dialogue, and reconciliation, yet you continue to act without speaking with us. I hope and pray that you might respond to our invitation and meet with representatives of this Church.

I remain

Your servant in Christ,
Katharine Jefferts Schori¨

Please read the reply from Archbishop Henry Orombi/Uganda which includes: ¨ I am not visiting a church in the Diocese of Georgia. I am visiting a congregation that is part of the Church of Uganda. Were I to visit a congregation within TEC, I would certainly observe the courtesy of contacting the local bishop. Since, however, I am visiting a congregation that is part of the Church of Uganda, I feel very free to visit them and encourage them through the Word of God...¨ HERE )

·  Thanks to Episcopal Cafe, sidebar
·  Thanks to The Supreme Court of Georgia, HERE
·  Thanks to Jim Naughton, The Lead HERE
·  Thanks to Wounded Bird, sidebar HERE
·  Thanks to Three Rivers Episcopal, sidebar HERE