c. 2008 Religion News ServiceCourt says megachurch must surrender property to AME Zion ChurchWASHINGTON (RNS) A Maryland appeals court has ruled that a suburban megachurch that split from the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in 1999 must relinquish millions of dollars in property back to the denomination.From the Heart Church Ministries in Temple Hills, Md., must turn over more than $30 million in property, including three sanctuaries, an office building and large tract of property owned by the ministry, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals ruled in an opinion filed Oct. 28.Thomas L. McCally, a lawyer for the denomination, views the decision as significant for the individual church and others with similar hierarchical structures.“For the denomination and for the AME Zion parties, this has always been about … more than real estate,” said McCally, who is based in Washington.“This is about enforcing its Book of Discipline, enforcing its polity, its practices and the way it governs itself through its Book of Discipline. … I think this case is significant for other hierarchical denominations because that is the fundamental issue at play here and that is how does a hierarchical denomination govern itself.”The appeals court upheld a lower court decision that the real estate acquired by the congregation while it was associated with the denomination still belongs to the denomination. It also upheld the lower court’s determination that the congregation retained ownership of personal property.“The plain language of the trust clause in the Discipline lends … support to AME Zion’s claim to control From the Heart’s real property,” wrote Judge Patrick L. Woodward for the Court of Special Appeals. “In other words, allowing From the Heart to retain its places of worship and parsonages upon disaffiliation from A.M.E. Zion would violate the express language of the trust clauses in the Discipline.”An attorney for From the Heart Ministries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The court lifted a stay that permitted From the Heart to continue to use the disputed property. McCally said the congregation is seeking a higher court’s consideration of whether the stay should be lifted or retained.He said all of the congregation’s members did not leave the AME Zion Church when From the Heart founder John A. Cherry decided to leave the denomination.“There’s still Full Gospel AME Zion Church that is worshipping in rented and borrowed facilities,” he said. “At least one usage will likely be a place of worship for the surviving Full Gospel AME Zion.”_ Adelle M. BanksCounselor fired for refusing sex therapy for gay coupleLONDON (RNS) An Anglican lawyer has taken one of Britain’s top counseling services to court for firing him after he said his Christian beliefs could prevent him from giving sex therapy to gay couples.Gary McFarlane accuses the counseling agency, Relate, of bigotry and unfair dismissal because of his religious convictions.“If I was a Muslim,” he told journalists, “this would not have happened. They would find a way to make the system work.”But Christians “seem to have fewer and fewer rights” in Britain, he said in explaining his decision to take his case to an employment tribunal in Bristol, England. “Relate needs to be forced to work through stuff like this.”McFarlane has been a Relate counselor for five years. He said what happened to him “could force other Christians out of counseling” and that “some have already reacted with consternation, saying if it could happen to someone of my experience, it could happen to them.”The agency said only that it “cannot comment until the employment tribunal has taken place.”McFarlane, a Church of England worshipper, said that in marriage counseling for Relate, “you are drawing the couple out (and) you are not telling anyone what to do or endorsing what they do.”But in sex therapy, “you are diagnosing their problems and setting them a treatment plan, not unlike a doctor,” and that while he believed in “each to their own,” he did not feel comfortable doing something that he felt would directly encourage gay sex._ Al WebbQuote of the Day: Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo.(RNS) “You make yourself a participant in the act of abortion. That’s gravely wrong and you mustn’t do it because your eternal salvation is tied up with that important choice.”_ Roman Catholic Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, on Nov. 3 when asked by KCMO 710 Talk Radio about Catholics voting for Sen. Barack Obama for president.KRE END RNS