Church in Pittsburgh files suit over possible property issue

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A local church that voted to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) has filed a lawsuit seeking to bar any threat of seizure of its property by the local presbytery as it joins a more conservative denomination.

The Memorial Park Presbyterian Church, the largest church in the Pittsburgh Presbytery, is seeking to confirm its title to 7.5 acres of land and ownership of buildings. The church filed suit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court after its governing body voted unanimously to disaffiliate from the presbytery — a regional body of the denomination — following nearly a year of negotiations.

Memorial Park’s congregation, which was established 64 years ago and has 1,675 members, will vote on whether to disaffiliate during weekend services Jan. 19-20.

In June, members of the church voted to seek dismissal from the national church. Memorial Park then offered $360,000 to the Pittsburgh Presbytery to seal the break.

Memorial Park’s senior pastor, Rev. Dean Weaver, said the presbytery initially offered to settle for $1.7 million but later lowered its request to $1.2 million. Memorial Park made what it said was a final offer of $500,000 in September.

The Rev. Doug Portz, acting pastor to the presbytery, said leaders “have made every effort to keep such matters out of the civil courts.”

Memorial Park officials have said they were concerned about the national denomination’s move away from traditional doctrines concerning the Holy Trinity and the Bible’s authority, and its increasingly liberal views on gay ordination. Similar disputes about sexuality, church oversight and property rights are dividing the Episcopal Church, as well.

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