Armstrong admits property belogns to TEC

The trial to determine ownership of Grace Church, Colorado Springs is underway. For those unfamiliar with this case, the background information is in this post.

The chief architect in the attempted theft is Donald Armstrong who was found guilty by both an ecclesial court and Colorado court's chief detective of embezzling nearly one million dollars from the coffers of Grace Church (see this article).

According to the 27 February edition of the Colorado Springs Gazette, under oath, Armstrong admitted signing the title to the diocese. However, he answered in his usual supercilious manner.

Testimony centered on Grace's contention that it holds legal title to the Tejon Street property. The highlight of the week was testimony from the [Mr.] Donald Armstrong, rector of Grace Church.

Armstrong, who was on the stand Tuesday and Wednesday, testified that the diocese was aware that Grace Church, acting as an independent corporation, was buying and selling property without diocesan approval, yet never objected. He also pointed out the millions of dollars of renovations Grace has done since he became rector in 1987, and how the church did not seek renovation approval from the diocese.

On cross examination, however, diocese attorney Martin Nussbaum produced documents showing that Grace sought approval for some church renovation projects. Nussbaum also produced a 1989 document signed by Armstrong stating that the Grace property title is held by the "bishop and diocese."

Armstrong said signing the document "was a mistake."

"We filled this out quickly and didn't spend time with it because it was meaningless to us," he testified.

They signed a legal document acknowledging that the diocese was the legal owner of the property and all assets, yet they did so without deliberation and they thought the document was meaningless.

Armstrong is either incredibly stupid, thinks the court is moronic, or is establishing a defense of non compos mentis for an upcoming embezzlement proceeding.

There is only one reason the document was signed: The schism was already planned and this was part of an elaborate scheme to defraud TEC of its property and assets by lying to the bishop and other diocesan authorities. A secondary reason is that Armstrong's theft of funds would never be discovered if he had total control of all assets.

According to former member of Grace, and TTLS blog reader, Bonnie:

Never once were we told [the renovations] were for "the corporation." As far as I know we all thought they were on behalf of our beloved Episcopal Church.

The 1989 date is of monumental importance. According to the Calvinist-Puritan propaganda, their actions are the direct result of the consecration of Gene Robinson in November 2003.

The court documents expose that lie. The usurpation of TEC was planned by 1989 and had nothing to do with the ordination or consecration of gay/lesbian Episcopalians.

Armstrong, rector of one of the schismatics' wealthiest flagships, planned his theft in or before 1989. That was fifteen years before the Anglican Communion had ever heard about Gene Robinson.

The more answers neo Calvinist Puritans are forced to give, the more deceit, trickery, and lies come to light. Included in the litany of immoral actions is Armstrong's offer to house the ultra right-wing John Jay Institute at Grace's facilities.

However, it boils down to this: Under oath Armstrong was forced to admit he signed a legal document acknowledging that the property and all assets belong to TEC.

I am rereading Death in Holy Orders by P.D. James. There is a paragraph that speaks directly to the schismatic movement.

We don't look to the fourth century for our understanding of medicine or science or the nature of the universe. I don't look to the fourth century when I run my companies. Why look to 325 for our understanding of God?

[Nicaea] was a council of men .. Powerful men. They brought their private agendas, their prejudices, their rivalries. Essentially it was about power, who gets it, who yields it. You've sat on enough committees, you know how they work ... p 22

That is it in a nutshell except the schismatics look to 2,000 BC for their understanding of the world. And they wish, through the accumulation of power, to force the rest of us to live in that ancient world whether we like it or not.

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In a not related matter, make sure to check out the new design of Openly Episcopal In Albany. The new design is really cool.