Johnson v. Thomas

RAY, Judge.

This appeal involves a dispute over church property between the national Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (“CME”)1 and the trustees, pastor, and former members of Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (jointly hereinafter referred to as “Bethel Church”), a local subordinate church of CME that has sought to disaffiliate from CME and has retained control over the church property.2 At issue is whether the church property is impressed with a trust in favor of CME. After an evidentiary final hearing,3 the trial court ruled that, under the terms of the Book of Discipline of the…