Stand Firm has obtained the pleadings in the pending lawsuit where the Diocese of Northwest Texas is suing a departing parish along with individual vestry members.

The documents are in PDF format for anyone who would like to peruse them.

Original Petition
Amended Petition
Original Answer and Counter-claim

Here is the ECUSA chart for the Diocese of N. W. Texas and the 2006 chart for Good Shepherd.

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Comments:

Another “Windsor bishop” acting like a Vichy bishop.

[1] Posted by Irenaeus on 04-04-2008 at 05:56 PM • top

Looks like TEC is revving up the litigation engine in Ohio too. Dio Ohio recently filed a declaratory judgment with the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in Cleveland, asking that it, be declared the rightful owners of the five dissenting church properties where the congregations voted overwhelmingly to leave in 2005. This in spite of the fact that the Dicese previously had been a beacon of tolerance in not pursuing litigation against the dissenters.

[2] Posted by masternav on 04-04-2008 at 08:18 PM • top

Oops - here the link to the Living Church article:
http://www.livingchurch.org/news/news-updates/2008/4/4/diocese-of-ohio-litigation-ends-peaceful-way-to-coexist

[3] Posted by masternav on 04-04-2008 at 09:20 PM • top

This is fascinating, Jackie—great work in getting these posted! We don’t hear much from NW Texas and I’m hoping that some Episcopalians there have a nice email list of fellow Episcopalians in the diocese to whom they are emailing news links.

[4] Posted by Sarah on 04-04-2008 at 09:48 PM • top

It will not take much resistance by the orthodox to cause legal bills on both sides to exceed the value of the properties.

In THIS case, the reaction from Texas may exceed KJS’s expectations and capacities as the Texans ‘remember the Alamo.’ The Texans’ feistiness and determination may cause her to rue the day she decided to ignore the wisdom of the warning, “DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS.” A real Christian’s holy boldness comes from the confidence, strength, righteousness, holiness and faith imparted by Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In Christ, there is no defeat…He is unchanging, indestructible, irresistable, eternal.

[5] Posted by Floridian on 04-05-2008 at 07:22 AM • top

Same old same old. Magical Trusts nowhere written or agreed to by the parishes, Canons similarly constructed, non existant hierarchies asserted to be monoliths of authority, the entire outlandish package then is concluded by a prayerful request that the Court now discard the Rule of Law and its neutral application thereof. Oh, and the siezure of the houses of the Christians who stood up to the authors of the heresies that brought forth this mess.

[6] Posted by teddy mak on 04-05-2008 at 12:53 PM • top

815 may soon find itself the subject of retaliatory litigation. The PB is crossing too many committed Christians in too many locations. It hardly seems likely that the TEC benefactors had “litigation expense” in mind when they willed their fortunes for the Kingdom of God. 815 should be preparing for discovery on the trusts that are funding these battles.

[7] Posted by AngloTex on 04-06-2008 at 10:06 PM • top

I think TEC better be careful. As Hitler found out the hard way, you can’t fight a war on too many fronts…and they are starting wars all over the USA.

Bueller?? Beueller?? Rowen?? Rowen??

[8] Posted by B. Hunter on 04-07-2008 at 09:17 AM • top

#8 No surprise, B. Hunter. The same spirit that moved Hitler is at work here. Ultimately, all movement by the forces of evil are directed by the sovereign will of God.

[9] Posted by Bob K. on 04-08-2008 at 07:03 PM • top

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