L.A. Diocese Wins Another Church Property Battle
By Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter
Thu, Jul. 05 2007

The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Los Angeles are entitled to the property of a conservative congregation that left the diocese last year, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

The decision by Judge John Shepard Wiley Jr. names the Episcopal diocese the rightful owner of the property of St. Luke's of the Mountains in La Crescenta, Calif. It follows last week's California Court of Appeal's decision that also ruled in favor of the Los Angeles diocese against three other parishes that broke away.

"We're very pleased with this decision today," said Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno on Tuesday, according to the Episcopal News Service. "We are a people of reconciliation, and our major concern is for the people of St. Luke's, and how to bring them back into relationship with the Diocese of Los Angeles if they wish. We will pray for them. I hope they will pray for us."

Congregants of St. Luke had voted to leave the diocese and The Episcopal Church in February 2006 over differences over biblical authority and interpretation, including The Episcopal Church's 2003 decision to consecrate an openly gay bishop. the rest