Presbyterian Church USA: Church to keep property

Stow Presbyterian severs its ties to denomination
By Colette M. Jenkins Beacon Journal staff writer
Thursday, May 15, 2008

The regional governing body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and representatives of the Stow Presbyterian Church have reached an agreement that allows the local congregation to keep the church property.

The pact comes after 18 months of discussions between the Stow church and the Eastminster Presbytery, according to the Rev. Dan Schomer, who leads the Mineral Ridge-based presbytery, which includes 55 churches in Summit, Portage, Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

''The action to dissolve the congregation effectively severs the ties of the church to the denomination and permits it to continue its ministry as an independent congregation,'' Schomer said in a prepared statement.

As part of the deal, the presbytery agreed not to pursue legal action for property rights to the church facility based on the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that states the property is held in trust for the denomination. the rest