COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A breakaway Episcopal church said Sunday that its audit of allegations against its leader is complete.
Grace Church and St. Stephen’s Parish set a news conference for Tuesday to discuss it. A parish meeting was planned Tuesday night on the subject, spokesman Alan Crippen said.
He declined to discuss the report and said it had not yet been formally released Sunday.
An Episcopal church court ruled this year that the church’s rector Donald Armstrong was guilty of financial misconduct.
The Episcopal Diocese of Colorado had accused him of having the church pay him $392,409 between 1999 and 2006 without authorization of the church vestry. The diocese also accused the church of failing to report about $548,000 in non-salary income to the IRS, including the $392,409 in personal expenses to Armstrong.
Armstrong has denied wrongdoing.
While the diocese was investigating the financial misconduct claims against Armstrong, the Grace and St. Stephen’s vestry voted in March to leave the Episcopal Church and join a conservative Anglican diocese.
Some church members who disagreed with the vote began attending separate services elsewhere. The diocese did not recognize the split, and has been trying to regain parish property.
