What's going on at Grace Episcopal - Ocala?
I saw a passing reference to the Rev. Don Curran's church, Grace Episcopal Church in Ocala, dissolved as of Sept. 14. For those of you who may not be familiar, Curran has been one of the biggest advocates of schism in the Diocese of Central Florida. He was pushing hard for schism and to keep the property in meetings with Bishop John W. Howe back in May and June, at Diocesan board and standing committee meetings. Curran was quite put out because Howe took the position Curran and other dissidents can leave, but they can't leave with the property.
I went to the Florida Department of Corporations Web site, sunbiz.org, and looked up the church, registered like other churches as a non-profit corporation in Florida. It is indeed, administratively dissolved as of Sept. 14 2007. I put in a call to the department. One of the administrators explained that an annual report was due May 1. With no report received as of September, the state declared the corporation dissolved. The church can file the annual report and do some paperwork to become reinstated.
With no annual report on file now, almost six months after its due date, the question is begged, what's going on?
Remembering the other Grace Church, in Colorado Springs, Co., where the pastor, Don Armstrong, was later found guilty in an ecclesiastical court of misappropriating funds just before he jumped to CANA, some questions should be asked.
There's no reason to believe Curran has taken money for personal use. BUT, is Grace Ocala hiding funds and assets in preparation for a break from the Episcopal Church? What are they doing with the church's income?
They've already stripped "Episcopal" from the church's name, calling it "Grace Church In the Anglican Tradition," according to the church Web site, which also informs us, "On Sunday, November 4th, Bishop Ben Benitez former Grace rector and Bishop of Texas, will be at Grace Church to confirm this coming Sunday at the 8:50 service."
Are Bishops John Howe and Hugo Pina Lopez considered tainted now?
Perhaps someone out there will tell us what's going on.
For a good summary of the Don Armstrong case with links to other sites, go to Thinking Anglicans
For more on the standing committee and board meetings, go to my entries No Claim to Sainthood July 11 and No Claim to Sainthood July 15.
The site shows Grace Ocala filing late last year, but apparently, nothing's been filed this year. To view the sunbiz.org page on Grace Ocala, go here.
UPDATE 8:40 p.m. 10-29-07 - Grace Episcopal Ocala has been reinstated by the Florida Division of Corporations, sometime since my posting around 1:30 p.m. today. Coincidence? Probably!
I still want to know what's going on there, and take a look at the annual report, once it's posted.
16 comments:
Is there a lawyer in the house? Would failing to file the SunBiz online corporation report hold any legal significance as part of a prelude to schism? Is it a necessary legal maneuver, in other words, to (perhaps) reincorporating as some other entity? Or is it just one of those things that happens in a small organization staffed largely by volunteers?
If the lawyer shows up: What would be the signs that a parish was sequestering its assets?
Pat, it's me again. Bishop Howe has just announced his plan under which the separation of congregations from the Diocese would take place. (However, they will have to be ratified by the Diocesan and Standing Committees before they can take effect.)
The terms will be published in the November 2007 Central Florida Episcopalian but can be read for now at: http://www.cfdiocese.org/news/news07/accord1107.htm
My first impression is that they are quite equitable. They have a number of safeguards for parishioners who want to stay in the Episcopal Church. Rectors and vestries can initiate a departure, but the congregation must approve it. A special parish meeting would be called, at which the Bishop would preside. It will be possible to challenge the eligibility of parish members to vote (if done prior to the meeting). An audit of the parish's books may be requested by the Bishop before its rector departs.
This agreement does provide for the sale of consecrated church property under certain conditions (namely, that the parishioners who are staying in the Episcopal Church don't think they can keep it up). But the sale of the church building can take place only if the Episcopalian remnant wants to sell and initiates the sale. The terms of sale will be generous (low- or zero-interest 30-year mortgages) but the purchase price will be based on market value.
We'll see what develops out of this....
Good. I'm glad there will be an audit of church books! Maybe that's what initiated Grace Ocala finally filing a financial statement, six months late.
As the Network-stuffed standing committee and board, I don't have too much confidence in them.
The terms for sale of property sound equitable. I've been concerned at the possibility of a ruling minority forcing sale of church property, when there are Episcopalians who want to maintain their parishes.
Pat, I take your point about the Standing and Diocesan Committees as they are now, but I'm hoping some will take up Canon Bennett's suggestion and make a successful run for high [?] office. It would be good if these committees were more representative of the Diocese as a whole.
Fr. John Liebler has been very quiet of late, don't you think?
In most states it is not necessary for congregations to register as a non-profit as they are under the Diocesan incorporation (as it should be ala the Dennis Canon).
Speaking of remnants, Pat: The thought that supporters of a departing rector might deliberately stay among the Episcopalian remnant, in order to force the sale of the property to those who have left, is now being mooted both at T19 and Stand Firm. I am, not for the first time, astounded by the degree of duplicity these persons are willing to engage in, in the service of what they call their God. But I suppose it would be a good idea for all Episcopalians in the Diocese to be on guard for such tricks.
This sort of skulduggery will eventually yield its own reward. No organization built on negativity survives for long. It's sad that others have to be hurt in the process. It's especially sad that Jesus isn't part of their "church".
Ann, I'm no legal expert! I'm sure there's someone reliable out there who can tell us laws governing non-profits in Florida. The laws here seem to be a bit different - like everything else in Florida. I just thought of a lawyer who could tell me in general, tho he doesn't know the loops of the Episcopal diocese. I've noticed many churches listed at the state site, but I don't know if they're automatically required to report, or if it's only if their income is over a certain amount, etc. I saw my own parish church's info on the site.
Charlotte, I've noticed Fr. Liebler has been very quiet, most of the Network crowd has been pretty quiet the past couple of months.
Charlotte, I talked to my lawyer friend, who told me a church can't file for 501-c3 tax-exempt status unless its incorporated as a non-profit organization -- one big reason to file.
Also, the status helps protects the rector, officers, etc. against lawsuits, and helps protect the church's (corporation's) assets from suits and so forth.
He said it would be crazy for a church to let the non-profit organization status slide.
True, Pat, but it's easy to let it slide unintentionally. All non-profits in Florida have to file a very simple form online with "SunBiz" once a year and pay a fee (somewhere around $70) to the State of Florida. Many of the smaller non-profits forget to do it every year. They depend on volunteer help in the office and -- well, they just don't get around to it. If they notice they forgot, they are reinstated. If they never notice it, the State assumes they no longer exist as a non-profit corporation. It's the way the State purges the rolls, in other words. Many hopeful non-profits are formed every year, and most don't make it to the five-year mark (which is when the IRS grants its permanent tax exemption).
It's just a thought, but Grace Church's failure to file might be an innocent error. They were too busy doing other things (like reforming the entire Anglican Communion) to remember to file their SunBiz report.
It well could be an error of procastination and forgetfulness, coincidental to the other stuff going on. In other circumstances, I wouldn't think much about it, just wonder if they don't have an accountant or financial officer to take care of such things...
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