Minority sues to regain Peters Presbyterian church

Pittsburg Post-Gazette ^ | Ann Rodgers

[Alex Murphy]

A third lawsuit has been filed involving Peters Creek United Presbyterian Church, whose members voted 207-26 last year to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) for the more theologically conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

On Monday the minority, who Washington Presbytery has declared the "true church," sued the majority, asking the Washington County Common Pleas Court to remove the officers of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and return all property to control of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Last year the majority sued Washington Presbytery, the local governing body of the Presbyterian Church (USA), for the right to keep all property. Last month Washington Presbytery sued the pastor and treasurer of the Evangelical Presbyterian congregation for the return of all property.

Members of the minority congregation -- who worship in the Venetia Heritage Society building in Peters -- had tried to join the first suit on the side of the presbytery, but Common Pleas Judge Paul Pozonsky denied their petition. When this suit was filed, they sent a letter to members of the majority, saying the suit was the only way they could have a voice.

Their suit argues that the vote to secede violated the laws of the Presbyterian Church (USA), and that the majority's possession of the property therefore violates a Pennsylvania law that says church property must be governed according to church law. It asks the court to nullify the secession vote and to remove the officers of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church so elections can be held under the rules of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Andrea Geraghty, attorney for the majority, had not seen the suit but thought it as unlikely to succeed as the earlier attempt to join the first suit.

[PAR35]

Looks like the PCUSA is trying to carefully pick its battles, going scorched earth here, but settling a number of other matters recently.

Recent settlements include FPC Opelika, Al, ($105,000 for a 122 member church); Bay, Bay Village OH, $700,000 over 7 years for a 2000 member church; Memorial Park, Pittsburg, PA $575,000 for about 1700 members. The most creative is the proposed settlement for Londonderry (NH) - the PCUSA gets the building, the congregation gets most of the adjacent land, with each having a right of first refusal if the other sells.

Of course, FPC Baton Rouge got out for free.

The decision is due tomorrow in Kirk of the Hills, Tulsa. The Presbytery ought to make a good run at trying to settle that one tonight.

[PAR35]

Update on Kirk of the Hills, Tulsa - one source says that the ruling has been postponed to September 9; another source said ‘delayed indefinitely’. In any event, nothing today.

Hopefully, that means that settlement is near, although it could just mean that the judge or a lawyer wanted a long holiday weekend.