FT. WORTH: Bishop Iker: "We won! FT. WORTH: Bishop Iker: "We won!" Judge Chupp rules for Bishop Iker's diocese By Mary Ann Mueller VOL Special Correspondent www.virtueonline.org March 2, 2015 Two short words in the subject line in an e-mail from Bishop Jack Iker (III Fort Worth) tells it all. "We won!" He was condensing what Tarrant County District Court Judge John J. Chupp wrote Monday in his brief one-page order denying The Episcopal Church's (TEC) motion for a partial summary judgment. Judge Chupp wrote: "Having considered the pleading, motions, responses, replies, evidence on file, governing law, and arguments of counsel, the Court orders the following: "IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that Defendants' (Bishop Iker) Second Motion for Partial Summary Judgment is GRANTED, except with respect to claims relating to All Saints Episcopal Church (Fort Worth). "IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiffs' (TEC) Motion for Partial Summary Judgment is DENIED." The two-hour oral arguments were heard 10 days ago (Feb. 20) where The Episcopal Church argued that the "simple solution" would be in acknowledging that all property is held in trust for the diocese and congregations by those individuals who are recognized by The Episcopal Church to be the "Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth." However, Judge Chupp's ruling does not include All Saints-Fort Worth which has been severed out and slated for a separate jury trial this spring to determine property ownership. The remaining members of the congregation have steadfastly refused to cooperate with Bishop Iker in implementing the Diocese of Fort Worth's Canon 32 which outlines the procedure where parishes, loyal to TEC and wish to separate from the realigned Diocese, can be canonically separated from the Diocese with Bishop Iker's blessing and their property intact. The Diocese of Fort Worth disaffiliated from The Episcopal Church in 2008 over deepening theological differences. Click here for the rest of the article: http://virtueonline.org/ft-worth-bishop-iker-we-won