NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
Aug. 8, 2025

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 8, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ — Church watchdog group Anglican Watch reports that St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Fifth Avenue appears poised to close its world-famous choir school. The school is the only such organization in the United States.

The move comes amidst the continuing fallout from a scandal involving allegations of three separate instances of sexual assault against an adult male parishioner by gay clergy and parishioners.

Multiple sources tell Anglican Watch that an announcement about the choir school's closure is imminent. The news comes as sources within the New York Police Department report an ongoing investigation involving the choir school, including efforts by the church to sandbag attempts to obtain CCTV footage from the facility.

Anglican Watch has been unable to verify reports of the choir school’s closure independently.

Meanwhile, sources within the Diocese say they expect Canon Carl Turner, the church’s rector, to announce his retirement shortly. Turner sent members of the congregation an email that, while it did not expressly identify the victim of sexual assault, falsely accused him of being a security threat.

Turner’s wife, The Reverend Dr. Alison Joan Turner, who now serves as Associate for Children & Family Ministry and School Chaplain, is expected to leave the church at the same time as her husband.

Matthew Moretz, the church’s vicar and COO, also appears to be planning to leave and is reportedly interviewing for positions outside the Episcopal Church. Moretz repeatedly ignored the victim’s complaints about sexual assault and harassment and appears to have played a key role in retaliating against the victim of sexual assault.

The Reverend Mark Daniel Schultz, who now serves as Associate for Pastoral Care, is expected to resign shortly. He and his same-sex husband, porn producer Erich Erving, allegedly jointly sexually assaulted the adult male parishioner at an event at their apartment, located in the choir school.

To date, neither the church nor the Episcopal Diocese of New York has made any effort to apologize to the victim, to make restitution, or to lift Bishop Heyd’s de facto excommunication, in which he sent an email to the victim barring him from all churches and church activities in the Episcopal Diocese of New York.

Anglican Watch demands that the Diocese immediately retract its fabrications and apologize publicly and in writing to the victim.

Additionally, the organization is calling for the immediate resignations of Bishop Heyd and Bishop Shin.

Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. Founded in 2015, the organization addresses sexual and non-sexual abuse in the Episcopal Church and other faith communities.

SOURCE Anglican Watch

CONTACT:  Eric Bonetti, 240-380-2567, eric@anglicanwatch.com