The Christ Church vestry voted unanimously September 30 to place the congregation under the care of John Guernsey, a former Episcopalian who was consecrated September 2 as a bishop in the Anglican Church of the Province of Uganda.

The letter from Louttit is posted on a new Christ Church website. The congregation's original website is here.

A news release from the vestry about its September 30 vote invited members of the parish to a meeting on October 14 during which they can "express their agreement or disagreement with this action." The vestry members say that "our church polity does not require the congregation to ratify or affirm this resolution," but implies that a vote will be taken as part of "our on-going promise to engage the congregation at every major milestone of our journey together."

The vestry letter said that the members expected "claims to be made" on Christ Church's property, adding that the vestry "is prepared to protect the property of our parish and defend it to the utmost against any action that seeks to take it from us."

Louttit said in his October 8 letter that "Christ Church has been a constituent part of the Episcopal Church for over 200 years and the Diocese of Georgia for over 180 years."

"The buildings were built and the property and other assets of the church have been maintained for all of those years to be an Episcopal Church and not part of some other church," he wrote. "Under our church's canons and all applicable court precedents, all of the property and the signs and symbols of the church belong to the Episcopal Church."

Louttit wrote that "the former rector and vestry have said that they have removed themselves from the ecclesiastical authority of the Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Georgia" and that the clergy who support this decision have renounced their ministry in the Episcopal Church. Louttit said he has issued renunciations of those ministries in accordance with the canons of the church.

"Please know that there is a canonical procedure for their return to the Episcopal Church should any of them conclude that they wish to do so," he added. 
 
Louttit reported that he has proposed to the former rector and vestry that the departing members and those who wish to remain would share the worship space at Christ Church "until we can resolve our differences regarding ownership of the property and await their response to that proposal."

The bishop encouraged people to attend the meeting scheduled for October 14 "and to demonstrate your support of the continued ministry of the Episcopal Church at Christ Church Savannah."

Pending agreement on sharing space at Christ Church, Louttit said there will be a celebration of Holy Eucharist on October 14 at St. Michaels and All Angels and each Sunday thereafter at 11:45 a.m. until further notice "for those of you who wish to support this ministry of Christ Church Episcopal."