Pa. Presbyterian church sues to avoid threat of property seizure

PITTSBURGH - 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 three hectares 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. the rest