As you may know, after FPC and Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church negotiated terms of dismissal with the Presbytery to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the three pastors of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento filed charges against the Presbytery preventing our dismissal. Sadly, the reasons for their actions are punitive, they didn’t feel FPC and Fair Oaks were paying enough money to leave and they felt that two of FPC’s pastors should not be allowed to continue to serve here at FPC. Their actions have caused a great financial loss to the Presbytery and further legal costs to the Presbytery and to both churches. They have also forced us to continue to litigate over the ownership of our property. The following is where things stand at this time.
In the civil case:
-April 15 a hearing will be held on whether or not the Synod can be involved in
the civil case and allowed to sue FPC and FOPC over the ownership of our
property.
-May 20 Fair Oaks has its summary judgment on the matter of property
ownership.
-Sept. 2 our trial begins.
-We are still waiting for the judge’s ruling on our summary judgment.
In the Presbytery’s case against Westminster’s charges:
-A committee has been formed by the Presbytery to defend the case in the
Synod’s court.
-We have no word on when that trial will be held. However, we do not feel the
trial can be fair since the Synod, while supposing to be an impartial judge in
the Presbytery’s court case, is also seeking to be involved in our civil case
and sue us. We have appealed to the Presbytery’s committee to take action
against this but the key attorney defending the Presbytery is the Synod’s chief
counsel!
What can you do?
-Keep praying for a successful outcome in the civil courts!
-Keep praying that no hostility will be shown to FPC and FOPC sessions and
pastors by the Presbytery or Synod.
-Keep praying for our attorney David Tyra and his team.
-Keep praying for our elders as they continue to seek God’s timing and will on
our next steps.
-Keep praying that we will move on and ahead with the mission God has given
us here at FPC, that these things will not hamper or diminish our calling to be a
light for Jesus in our communities!
|
