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GUIDELINES FOR CONGREGATIONAL WITHDRAWAL
FROM THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN
SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT
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D. 6. DISTRICT’S RIGHTS TO CONGREGATIONAL PROPERTY
The rights described in this polity for the district board to take control or to approve the
voluntary transfer of congregational property shall be exercised solely for the purpose
of assuring that the property or its proceeds are not diverted from use for the Church of
the Brethren and shall not imply a right on the part of the district board to otherwise
affect or control the use of the property by a congregation of the Church of the
Brethren.
E. RETURN OF PROPERTY TO CONGREGATIONS
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In cases where the aforementioned restrictive covenant providing for the divestiture of
title to property owned by a congregation results in the title being vested in the district
board, in trust, it is understood that this action is taken only as a means of preserving
property for the purposes of the Church of the Brethren. This property has been
purchased and developed by consecrated effort, and in many cases at great sacrifice,
by individuals who have been loyal to the principles of the Church of the Brethren. If
the district board determines that circumstances warrant, the district board may return
the property to the congregation. If the district board determines that circumstances do
not warrant the return of the property to the congregation, the district board shall use
or dispose of the property in the best interests of the Church of the Brethren.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION FROM SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICT
POLITY
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ARTICLE 4
Property Holdings, Financial Resources, & Dissolution Statement
Property Holdings. All members of the Southern District of Pennsylvania Church of the
Brethren acknowledge they are brothers and sisters of the same family through Jesus
Christ. Though all of the same family, the District is comprised of individual
congregations. Historically, the Church of the Brethren has encouraged individual
congregations to control their own future and affairs within the parameters of the
teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the Church of the Brethren. Though
each congregation legally owns its own real and personal property, recognition is given
that the family of the Church of the Brethren has equitable title. In light of present legal
realities, in the absence of formal recognition by each congregation of this balance of
legal and equitable title, and in the event of a fragmentation of a congregation, a civil
__________
3 2016 Manual of Organization and Polity, Chapter 6, Property Holdings and Financial
Resources, I, D, 6, pg. 3. This portion establishes Denominational control of property and
restricts the use of that property for Denominational purposes.
4 2016 Manual of Organization and Polity, Chapter 6, Property Holdings and Financial
Resources, I, E, pg. 4. This portion states that the District Board has the authority to return
property to a church which is withdrawing from the denomination at its discretion.
5 District Plan of Organization, Southern District of Pennsylvania, Church of the Brethren,
9/18/2010, pgs. 13-14
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