Episcopal Diocese Settles Suit Cash Payment Will Be Made To Former Pastor, Followers

The Episcopal Diocese of Spokane has agreed to settle a lawsuit against one of its former priests and his followers.

The diocese will make a cash payment to the Rev. Robert Creech and his congregation of about 200 people. In exchange, Creech and his congregation will drop any claim to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and its assets.

Creech is the former pastor of Holy Trinity in the West Central neighborhood. In May, the priest, along with the bulk of his congregation, converted to the Antiochian Orthodox Church, one of three large Orthodox denominations in America.

At the time, the congregation had hoped to maintain ownership of the 100-year-old church at 1832 W. Dean as well as several bank accounts, trust funds and an endowment.

The gabled building is a historic structure, filled with relics and religious art.

The diocese immediately sued, and Superior Court Judge Kathleen O’Connor granted an emergency restraining order May 10, giving Episcopal Bishop Jeff Terry control of the property. The judge later issued a permanent order and was scheduled to rule Monday on the rest of the assets.

In the agreement, which has yet to be signed by all the parties, the Episcopal diocese will sell one of the houses on the church property. The money from the sale will go to the newly formed Orthodox congregation.

Neither side would say what the sale is expected to produce. Attorney Virginia Worthington, who represented the governing board of the Orthodox congregation, said it would be more than $10,000 and “nowhere near $100,000.”

“I think we came out of this with a significant financial settlement,” Worthington said.

Bishop Terry was not available for comment Monday.

Peter Witherspoon, attorney for the diocese, said the bishop and other church officials were anxious to get the legal matter behind them.

“It is still our belief that if the case was determined by the court, our position would have prevailed,” he said. “But there are more important things. We have to let both groups go forward.”

The Orthodox congregation will be allowed to remove several items from their old church, including a crucifix, a statue and some vestments. Those articles had been loaned or donated to Holy Trinity by members who converted to Orthodoxy.

The new church has moved from worshiping in a hotel banquet room, jokingly called “St. Ridpath,” to the chapel at Excelsior Youth Center, 3754 W. Indian Trail. The new church offices are located on the South Hill at 1415 W. Ninth.

The Orthodox congregation is in the process of picking a name. Right now, St. Nicholas, St. Mary the Virgin and Sts. Peter and Paul are among the top choices, Worthington said.

Back at Holy Trinity, a new governing board was appointed by the one remaining member of the old vestry.

Episcopal high Masses are scheduled every weekend, one on Saturday evenings and two on Sunday mornings. Several priests have shared the responsibility of leading the services.

Several dozen worshipers, including members of other Episcopal parishes in Spokane, have been attending the services.

The bishop has said he hopes to rebuild the congregation.

, DataTimes