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Minnesota Church Must Pay PCUSA $1.2 Million to Leave Denomination

  • Carrie Dedrick Religious persecution, missions, Christianity around the world
  • Updated Aug 07, 2014

A church in Minnesota will be required to pay $1.2 million to the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America (PCUSA) in order to part ways with the denomination. 

Hope Presbyterian Church, located in Minneapolis, has distanced itself from the Presbyterian denomination over differences of opinion regarding homosexuality. The church began the process of leaving the denomination after PCUSA voted in favor of ordaining homosexuals. 

The settlement to leave PCUSA also calls for Hope Presbyterian Church to lose one of its campuses, the Oliver Christian Ministry Center. 

David Lenz, Hope Presbyterian Church pastor said, "We had hoped for a much smaller settlement and it took time to accept that this was the price we must pay to follow what we believe to be God's call."

The church is required to pay PCUSA under a clause in the denomination’s constitution. The “Trust Clause” says the buildings and properties used by Hope Presbyterian Church must benefit PCUSA. 

Hope Presbyterian will now join a smaller, conservative sect of the Presbyterian Church called the Evangelical Covenant of Presbyterians. 

Publication date: August 7, 2014