Board of Incorporators of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc. v. Mt. Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church of Fruitland, Inc.

DAVIS, Judge.

This appeal involves a dispute between a parent church and one of its former local congregations over the ownership and control of two parcels of local church property. The following question, as we restate it, is presented for our review:

Did the circuit court err in determining that, subsequent to the local church’s secession from the parent church, the local church retained sole and exclusive ownership of its local church property free and clear from all interests and claims of the parent church?

We respond in the affirmative, and therefore, reverse the judgment of the circuit…