Press Coverage of Holy Trinity Parish Property Handover

While sad to miss the final mass and transitional procession for my own Holy Trinity Parish from its long-cherished building to it's new home, I have been cheered somewhat by the nuanced coverage of the event provided by the San Diego Union Tribune and local Ocean Beach paper, Peninsula Beacon.

From the Union Tribune article:
http://www.sduniontribune.com/news/2010/dec/28/church-walks-away-episcop...

Holy Trinity officially became a parish for the Episcopal Church in 1956. At the time, Episcopal congregations in this county belonged to the Diocese of Los Angeles. That changed in 1973 with formation of the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego.

Over the decades, Bausch became increasingly agitated as national church leaders moved in what he deemed an increasingly liberal direction. At the Episcopal general convention in 2006, he remembered the dissension peaking after a candidate was elected bishop despite being divorced twice and married three times.

“That’s when I knew, although it had been building for many years, that this was it,” Bausch said. “And perhaps the best witness I could make to my friends in the Episcopal Church would be to leave — to call attention to the fact that something was grievously wrong.”

Of note, the reporter questioned the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego regarding the congregation's interest in purchasing the property.

The vestry inquired about purchasing the parcel, which the county assessed at $714,782 in 2007. It said the diocese pegged the purchase price at more than $2 million, and that efforts to rent the church building were rebuffed.

The diocese wouldn’t comment on those issues.

Local blogger Anglican Music (now syndicated on this web site) was able to attend the final services and has done a really nice piece, providing more detail along with some personal context on the departure.  I recommend you read it.  Follow Anglican Music on Twitter at @anglicanm.

More to come as Holy Trinity Parish starts it's new life next door at Bethany Lutheran and the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego takes possession of the building.