Congregation Votes To Buy Church

By Chris Wright, News On 6

TULSA, OK -- After settling a two-year legal battle, a Green Country congregation shifts its focus to the future. The Kirk of the Hills split with Presbyterian Church USA two years ago, but a judge recently decided that the Kirk's property belongs to the denomination.

Now, the Kirk's congregation has voted to buy its own church back.

The church's first focus is raising the $1.75 million it needs to keep this property. But both sides are also looking forward to putting this controversy behind them.

It has been long two years for Kirk of the Hills. Upset with the direction it felt Presbyterian Church USA was taking, its congregation voted to leave the denomination in 2006. But technically, the church and its property belonged to the Presbyterians.

"Our view is that we bought and paid for it, it should be ours. That was our case," said Pastor Wayne Hardy.

A judge disagreed, and ruled in favor of the denomination. But now the Kirk of the Hills gets its property back, if it can come up with the $1.75 million by November 15th.

"So we hope we can raise it, and if we can't raise it, obviously we'll have to borrow it," said Hardy.

"I don't think any one of us likes the idea of paying for this again.  We're not confident the money we're paying will be put towards the use we would put it to," said Pastor Tom Gray.

The denomination also hopes to move on.

In a statement released Monday, it said:

"There are no winners in this matter.  The Presbytery is weakened by the loss of one of its congregations. It is my fervent prayer that all sides will now be able to move forward and healing may begin."

While they're not ecstatic about buying back their own building, the Kirk of the Hills pastors say the settlement does bring a sense of relief.

Although Sunday night's vote was extremely close, 51 to 49 percent, they are confident the congregation will emerge unified.

"I'm not happy about it, but I'm not bitter.  I'm not going to remain to stew over this.  We've got a lot to do, and a great future ahead of us," said Gray.

Plans for the Kirk's future include the possibility of building a second church on property it has already purchased in West Tulsa.

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10/19/2008 - Congregation Votes To Buy Church Building