Church firing of accountant - Upheld by Appeals court

Leagle Story: ERDMAN v. CHAPEL HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Jim,

Why did you lead this story with the headline "Church firing of accountant - Upheld by Appeals court"? I read through the court's opinion and the plaintiff and defendant briefs found on the Washington state web page, it appears the church and pastor have some poor judgement. It also appears the courts upheld some important claims of the plaintiff (Title VII).

It appears the church is trying very hard to make this go away - never imaged a church would try and call the accoutant a pastor to avoid a lawsuit. Sadly a better headline would have been "Church succeeds in part in hiding behind the 1st amendment" :)

Sincerely,
An advocate for the harassed

Fallbrook pays $1.4M; Roseville’s price: $810K

Layman Story: 2 Calif. churches, presbyteries reach settlements on property Fallbrook pays $1.4M; Roseville’s price: $810K

First Presbyterian Church of Orange (NJ) to disolve Sept 26.

Orange St. Mark’s Cemetery Stands Pat

Lancaster PC to pay $550,000 blood money to leave PCUSA

Buffalo News: Lancaster congregation will pay $550,000 after break from PCUSA

An administrative commission appointed by the presbytery determined the $550,000 amount by adding up legal fees, as well as unpaid “per capita” dues that Lancaster Presbyterian had owed to the presbytery over the past decade or so. It also factored in 10 percent of the overall value of the property.

(Ed.) Still sounds like blood money to me.

• Lancaster Presbyterian Church
• Presbytery of Western New York

Presbyterian Church gets second chance (Singelton, NSW, AU)

It is interesting to note that the USA is not the only country to struggle to keep churches open. Singleton, New South Wales, Australia

Singleton Argus: Presbyterian Church gets second chance

FPC Bakersfield Joins EPC

Just an update, as the church officially joins EPC. Story from Bakersfield.com: First Presbyterian Church realigns with new governing body

Southport PC (Indiana) dismissed to EPC by Whitewater Valley

Layman Story: Indianapolis church dismissed from PCUSA

• Whitewater Valley Presbytery: approved at June 2 meeting by a 200-6 vote
• Southport Presbyterian Church
• 1,200-member
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• voted in late 2009 to leave-95.3%: 786-37-2 (Absentees: 49-0-2)
• two-campus
• Settlement:
• lump sum of $330,582.10 to Presbytery by Dec. 31, 2010.
• $165,582.10 in per capita payments for 2009-2013
• $105,000 for basic PCUSA mission support from 2010 to 2012
• $60,000 in support for Hispanic ministries, Camp Pyoca and Westminster Ministries.
• Southport will pay for Presbytery counsel’s costs and fees
• Previous Stories on Whitewater:
• The Empire Strikes First!
• I Will Make It Legal! (Emperor Whitewater Valley)