FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2015 Contact: Roger Bloom, rogerbloom1@gmail.com, 714-943-3310 CONCILIATION FAILS, CHARGES AGAINST L.A. BISHOP MOVE TO NEXT LEVEL NEWPORT BEACH Conciliation talks between congregants of St. James the Great Episcopal Church and Los Angeles Bishop Jon Bruno broke off this week with no resolution. The conciliation process was initiated by the national Episcopal Church in response to charges, called a presentment, brought against the bishop by the St. James the Great congregants with the support of several clergy in the L.A. Diocese. The presentment alleges material misrepresentations by Bruno to the congregation and its representatives, Newport Beach city officials, the Los Angeles Diocese and the public, as well as conduct unbecoming a bishop in Brunos actions to attempt to sell the St. James the Great building and grounds and subsequently locking out the churchs vicar, Rev. Canon Cindy Voorhees, and the congregation and claiming that Rev. Voorhees had resigned. The church remains locked to this day, although the sale has been held up by a title dispute with the original donor of the land. Bruno has sued the donor, the Griffith Co., for clear title and damages because the company insists that the land is restricted to use as a church under the terms of the donation. During the conciliation, despite a request that the parties not take actions detrimental to the conciliation process, Bruno through his lawyer subpoenaed for depositions several members of the congregation. In addition, more astonishingly, Bruno indicated he would be seeking the depositions of the leader of the Brownie troop that planted an herb garden on the church grounds and a woman whose mothers ashes are interred in the church garden, where she cannot now visit them. The two were featured in recent newspaper stories about the St. James the Great situation. Now the national church will either seek a conference or, more likely, begin an investigation of the bishop based on the presentment, said Bill Kroener, a member of the evaluation team of the St. James the Great congregation. (more)

September 23, 2015 Page 2 of 2 The congregation now remains locked out of a perfectly usable church building that cannot be sold for perhaps an extended period of time, and is holding Sunday services in a small park across the street. There is no sound reason for the Los Angeles Diocese to lock a large and faithful congregation out of an unused church property, said Kroener. It is being done simply at the insistence of Bruno, who heads the Diocese, as retaliation for the widespread criticism he has received from the public, Newport Beach officials, the Griffith Co. and many L.A. clergy for secretly agreeing to sell the building without even seeking prior approval of the Standing Committee of the Diocese as required by the Episcopal Church national canons. Actually, the presentment that will now move forward is not really about the building at this point, Kroener concluded. It is about whether this man should be censured or even remain a bishop. ###