Glide memorial. Any lessons here?

[GHansen]

Updated: Conference, bishop sue for control of Glide | United Methodist News Service (umnews.org)

Background:

Mrs. Glide, who contributed significantly to the establishment specifically stated that it was her will that the church promote Christian Methodism.

The denominational leaders (Methodist) noted that most attendees on Sunday ( ~1800) were not Christian; consequently the church had devolved into a humanistic soup kitchen like affair.

Even though long time leaders Cecil Williams and his wife had retired, they still were the de facto leaders of the church.

A new pastor resigned after less than a year because he felt that he was unable to function as a Christian pastor under the current arrangement. 

The suit has since been settled with current Glide leadership maintaining control over the building and paying a few million dollars to the denomination.

Warren Buffet hosts an annual auction for a dinner engagement with him. The proceeds go to Glide.

[GHansen]

Actual court filing:

glide-lawsuit-12-11-2018 (umc.org)

Methodist churches do not own church properties but merely hold them in trust for denomination. People can leave the church anytime but they can not taking church properties with them. The people at Glide wanted to leave the denomination and take the property with them. 

Denominations concerns included that the church was being managed and operated by a secular group whose interests were primarily social justice instead of the gospel.

 

[GHansen]

Another point of view:

Holt Uncensored: Patricia Holt on Books and the Publishing Revolution |