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Hillsdale congregation joins EPC and maintains building
Presbyterian church pays PC (USA) $90,000 for ownership of structure
By Brian McCauley, bmccauley@miconews.com
Through the dual front doors and past the empty fellowship hall decorated for vacation Bible school, a solitary light shone bright inside an office at Hillsdale Presbyterian Church last week.
Inside, the Rev. Laurie Johnston quietly worked, immersed in her duties amid the peaceful calm of a Wednesday afternoon. It’s a peace that Johnston said can only come from being happy with where you are and where you’re going, and it’s a peace that she and her congregation have been fighting to attain for more than a year.
Following many Presbyterian congregations across the country, Hillsdale congregation members voted 77 to 5 in June 2007 to seek dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (USA) in favor of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Despite the vote, Johnston said the request was not acknowledged by PC (USA) officials. The congregation responded earlier this year by again voting to be dismissed.
After continuing to get no response from the PC (USA), and with the threat of losing the church building hanging over their heads, the congregation filed a lawsuit against the PC (USA) to determine which entity had ownership of the building, Johnston said.
A declaratory judgment lawsuit was filed to determine the ownership of the property at 22875 W. 255th St. as well as a restraining order to prevent PC (USA) officials from removing the current congregation from the building until the court made its decision.
Johnston said the action prompted negotiations between the Hillsdale Church and PC (USA) officials, which just recently came to fruition. In April, Johnston said the PC (USA) asked for $90,000 from the church in exchange for ownership of the building in Hillsdale.
The Rev. Leslie King, who is pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Osawatomie, worked with the Hillsdale congregation on behalf of the PC (USA) as moderator of the administrative commission for churches seeking dismissal from the Heartland Presbytery.
King said the $90,000 was a far cry from the more than $400,000 that the building was appraised for by an independent appraiser hired by the commission as well as a county appraiser. She also said it was not the commission’s desire to make it so the Hillsdale congregation was unable to do ministry. But she also emphasized that it was important to the administrative commission that the Hillsdale congregation recognize that they were receiving gifts of generations from the PC (USA).
“The relationship has been rich in Hillsdale for generations,” King said.
It was a difficult decision for the congregation members, including Johnston, who came to the church in 1998, when it had about 20 members. In 2003, the congregation raised $216,000 for the church’s fellowship hall, which was dedicated in 2005. Today, the church’s membership stands at about 150, many of whom are from Spring Hill, where there is no Presbyterian church, Johnston said.
After discussing their options, the Hillsdale congregation decided to accept the offer, and Johnston said a loan was taken out to pay the PC (USA), which will be on top of the original loan that was used to purchase the building.
King said the Heartland Presbytery had guaranteed the Hillsdale church’s original loan for its building, which was another reason for the need for compensation.
Despite the financial difficulties presented by the decision, Johnston said the congregation is relieved to finally be on its own with their place of worship. A celebration is being planned at the church on Aug. 24.
“We’re moving on, and we’re starting with ground zero,” Johnston said.
King did not express hardship over the decision.
“I know the administrative commission has worked diligently through thought and prayer to not lose sight that the members of Hillsdale church are good and faithful people,” King said. “We do, in every way, wish them an effective ministry there.”
Johnston’s husband, the Rev. Kirk Johnston, currently is preaching at the newly formed Lighthouse Presbyterian Church, which was created after the split in the congregation at First Presbyterian Church in Paola late last year.
The PC (USA) is the largest Presbyterian denomination with about 2.3 million members in more than 10,000 congregations, according to its Web site. The EPC was founded in 1981 and consists of more than 200 congregations and about 85,000 members, according to its Web site.
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Inside, the Rev. Laurie Johnston quietly worked, immersed in her duties amid the peaceful calm of a Wednesday afternoon. It’s a peace that Johnston said can only come from being happy with where you are and where you’re going, and it’s a peace that she and her congregation have been fighting to attain for more than a year.
Following many Presbyterian congregations across the country, Hillsdale congregation members voted 77 to 5 in June 2007 to seek dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (USA) in favor of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Despite the vote, Johnston said the request was not acknowledged by PC (USA) officials. The congregation responded earlier this year by again voting to be dismissed.
After continuing to get no response from the PC (USA), and with the threat of losing the church building hanging over their heads, the congregation filed a lawsuit against the PC (USA) to determine which entity had ownership of the building, Johnston said.
A declaratory judgment lawsuit was filed to determine the ownership of the property at 22875 W. 255th St. as well as a restraining order to prevent PC (USA) officials from removing the current congregation from the building until the court made its decision.
Johnston said the action prompted negotiations between the Hillsdale Church and PC (USA) officials, which just recently came to fruition. In April, Johnston said the PC (USA) asked for $90,000 from the church in exchange for ownership of the building in Hillsdale.
The Rev. Leslie King, who is pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Osawatomie, worked with the Hillsdale congregation on behalf of the PC (USA) as moderator of the administrative commission for churches seeking dismissal from the Heartland Presbytery.
King said the $90,000 was a far cry from the more than $400,000 that the building was appraised for by an independent appraiser hired by the commission as well as a county appraiser. She also said it was not the commission’s desire to make it so the Hillsdale congregation was unable to do ministry. But she also emphasized that it was important to the administrative commission that the Hillsdale congregation recognize that they were receiving gifts of generations from the PC (USA).
“The relationship has been rich in Hillsdale for generations,” King said.
It was a difficult decision for the congregation members, including Johnston, who came to the church in 1998, when it had about 20 members. In 2003, the congregation raised $216,000 for the church’s fellowship hall, which was dedicated in 2005. Today, the church’s membership stands at about 150, many of whom are from Spring Hill, where there is no Presbyterian church, Johnston said.
After discussing their options, the Hillsdale congregation decided to accept the offer, and Johnston said a loan was taken out to pay the PC (USA), which will be on top of the original loan that was used to purchase the building.
King said the Heartland Presbytery had guaranteed the Hillsdale church’s original loan for its building, which was another reason for the need for compensation.
Despite the financial difficulties presented by the decision, Johnston said the congregation is relieved to finally be on its own with their place of worship. A celebration is being planned at the church on Aug. 24.
“We’re moving on, and we’re starting with ground zero,” Johnston said.
King did not express hardship over the decision.
“I know the administrative commission has worked diligently through thought and prayer to not lose sight that the members of Hillsdale church are good and faithful people,” King said. “We do, in every way, wish them an effective ministry there.”
Johnston’s husband, the Rev. Kirk Johnston, currently is preaching at the newly formed Lighthouse Presbyterian Church, which was created after the split in the congregation at First Presbyterian Church in Paola late last year.
The PC (USA) is the largest Presbyterian denomination with about 2.3 million members in more than 10,000 congregations, according to its Web site. The EPC was founded in 1981 and consists of more than 200 congregations and about 85,000 members, according to its Web site.