Congregation wins back
property at auction
By Edward Terry, The Layman, March 22, 2010
Worship services for Oakfield (N.Y.) Community Bible Church (OCBC) soon will return to the historic building members of its congregation lost in a legal battle with Genesee Valley Presbytery.
And the presbytery, which took ownership of the property in May 2009 when the remaining members of Oakfield Independent Presbyterian Church (OIPC) lost an appeal in civil court, will only receive a fraction of what the property is actually worth. The property, which includes the 120-year-old sanctuary and manse, was valued at nearly $400,000, according to the real estate company that hosted the auction.
The possible losses also do not include the thousands of dollars in legal fees, spent by both the presbytery and OIPC congregation, during the more than 2-year battle for ownership of the property.
At an auction on March 18, OCBC’s $50,000 bid was enough to secure a home for the growing congregation. The group, which had split from OIPC in early 2009, had worshiped at a local fire department and, most recently, at a gun club. OIPC, with only a handful of members left, surrendered the property after losing an appeal.
“It was very difficult for us to leave a year ago,” OCBC’s pastor Bill Smith said in an article by The Daily News. “Now we know where our congregation can put down its roots and continue to do good for our Oakfield community.”
The original OIPC congregation formed after leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2007 due to concern over the theological direction of the denomination. OIPC argued that its property belonged to the congregation, rather than the presbytery or denomination. In 2008 and again in 2009, the courts rejected OIPC’s arguments and awarded the property to “the faction most closely identified with PCUSA” based on the denomination’s trust clause.
In March 2009, after nearly two years of battling with the presbytery, a large majority left OIPC to form a new congregation.
Prayers answered
The auction was described by OCBC members as an answer to their prayers.
“There was a lot of praying, believe me,” said Matt Martin, a deacon at OCBC and a former Presbyterian elder. “Everybody is thrilled to death to be back there.”
According to the local newspaper report, there were many tense moments at the auction. Bidding began at $20,000, going back and forth between OCBC’s attorney and an unidentified man until the price reached $50,000. A third party in another room joined the bidding with an offer of $55,000 at the last possible moment. A recess to confirm the bid followed, the article said.
During the break, many members prayed while others tried to learn what was happening. After the break, the bidding returned to OCBC’s $50,000 offer, which was then finalized.
The closing date for the property is at the end of April and OCBC could be ready to return its worship services to the property in May, Martin said. There are still questions about whether some repairs will be needed before returning, but the congregation still is thrilled with the outcome.
Genesee Valley Presbytery leadership were not available to comment on Monday, but comments in The Daily News implied relief on the presbytery’s part that it would no longer have to maintain an empty building. In a March 18 Daily News article, Genesee Valley General Presbyter Linda Badger Becker described the property as a liability.
The presbytery and members of the congregation that formerly occupied the property had tried to negotiate prior to the auction, but could not agree on a price. Martin said the presbytery had representatives at the auction that seemed happy with the outcome as well.
“We all agree it was an unfortunate situation all around,” he said. “They’re happy the building will be used for a church.”
Martin said that worship attendance at OCBC has grown in the last 12 months from an average of 40 per week to 110. He’s hoping that members of OIPC will return to their former home as well now that the property will be a worship center again soon.