When $500,000 Comes Up Short

Steve Levin out at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the story about a large Presbyterian Church that is now suing local church leaders over its bid to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA). Memorial Park Presbyterian Church offered $360,000 -- and later upped it to $500,000 -- in a deal to allign with the more conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Apparently, the local presbytery (akin to a diocese) is seeking $1.2 million in alimony, and Memorial Park is now crying foul.

"What we wanted was to be a blessing to the presbytery and not something to hurt them," says senior pastor Dr. Dean Weaver. "If we went above that number we'd [offered], we'd have to get rid of staff, we'd have to get rid of missionaries ... or we'd have to borrow some money.

"We didn't think that would be good stewardship."

In a letter to his flock, Weaver now says the initial $360,000 payment is now "off the table."

Presbytery officials told Levin they wouldn't comment on the case, but were disappointed they would now have to go to court.