Chris Caskey, in The Union Democrat, reports that Sonora California’s historic “Red Church” is now once again an Episcopal Church:
On Monday, leadership with the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin started moving back into what became known in 2007 as St. James’ Anglican Church.
The church has regained St. James’ Episcopal Church as its name after six years of legal wrangling over the oft-photographed building at Highway 49 and Snell Street.
“We got the keys this morning,” the Rev. Eldon “Andy” Anderson, a priest with the Episcopal diocese overseeing church operations, said Monday. “It’s quite an amazing church.”
The article continues on the back history of the conflict, along with the joyful news that there will be an Episcopal service there this Sunday.
Episcopal Cafe has covered the longstanding struggle to return churches to the Diocese of San Joaquin:
San Joaquin invites departed parishes to discuss returning property (June 2009)
San Joaquin sues self-incorporated parishes (Sept. 2010)
Churches are returning to the Diocese of San Joaquin (June 2013)