St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church (Tonawanda, New York)
History of St. Bart's
### History of St. Bart's

[left\|thumb\|The former site of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, now the diocesan headquarters for the Diocese of Western New York.St](/wiki/File:Episcopal_Diocese_of_Western_New_York_Ministry_Center_-_fmr_St._Bartholomew_Episcopal_Church_-_Tonawanda%2C_New_York_-_20220428.jpg "Episcopal Diocese of Western New York Ministry Center - fmr St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church - Tonawanda, New York - 20220428.jpg"). Bartholomew's Episcopal Church was founded in 1955 in Tonawanda. A permanent modern building designed by A. John Ort was dedicated in 1959\. By 2008, the church was one of the largest churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, with more than 1,000 members and average attendance of 500, accounting for nearly 10 percent of the diocese's Sunday attendance.

St. Bart's was known for its [evangelical](/wiki/Evangelicalism "Evangelicalism") orientation within the diocese, and in 2003, after the controversial consecration of Gene Robinson to the episcopate, the church began withholding funds for the diocese. In 2008, the congregation voted nearly unanimously to leave the Episcopal Church and not seek to retain its building. A newly established corporation led by members of St. Bart's purchased the former Temple Beth\-El for $750,000\.

The Episcopal diocese attempted to plant a church called Holy Apostles in the former St. Bart's building, but the church plant was unsuccessful and closed in December 2009\. At that point the diocese took over the building as a headquarters and ministry center.

St. Bart's was a founding congregation of the ACNA's [International Diocese](/wiki/International_Diocese "International Diocese") from 2008 until the diocese's dissolution in 2024, at which time it joined the [Diocese of Christ Our Hope](/wiki/Anglican_Diocese_of_Christ_Our_Hope "Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope").


What led to the controversy surrounding Gene Robinson's consecration?