What would Jesus sue?

Trinity Church held its annual meeting Sunday, Jan. 24, which included a budget review.

One of the things discussed was the $32,260 expenditure from the Outreach Fund in 2009, with the potential for spending a similar amount in 2010. 

Like a lot of churches, Trinity has several endowment funds. The guiding rule with an endowment is that it’s OK to spend interest the funds generate, but the principal should never be touched. However, in this case, Outreach Fund principal is being spent to help balance the budget. 

Why? 

Last year The Episcopal Church decided the Diocese of Quincy's bank accounts, including the funds it manages for parishes like Trinity, belong in fact to TEC. Once the lawyers got involved, the banks froze the assets pending litigation.  

Trinity’s White/Knobloch fund, which typically generates $20,000 in interest, is among the Quincy-managed endowments caught in the legal squeeze play. 

Pending resolution (or a court’s “status quo” order unfreezing the interest revenue pending a final decision), Trinity and churches like it have little recourse but to dip into the principal of other investments to maintain operations. They’ll also have to hire lawyers to counter TEC’s claims.

In sum:

• TEC is spending money given to the church to pay lawyers to sue dioceses and encumber diocese and parish assets.
• Without interest revenue from the attached endowments, parishes like Trinity are forced to reduce programs and spend down principal on unencumbered investments to maintain operations. 
• These same dioceses and parishes will have to spend additional money on legal expenses to contest the TEC suits. 

Churches shouldn’t sue churches. 

~ ~ ~

But to the wicked God says:

“Why do you recite my statutes,

and take my covenant upon your lips;

Since you refuse discipline,

and toss my words behind your back?

When you see a thief, you make him your friend,

and you cast in your lot with adulterers.

You have loosed your lips for evil,

and harnessed your tongue to a lie.