Opinion ID: 2570347
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Church/State Entanglement

Text: ¶ 41 A two week bench trial was held in this case because the trial court erroneously found that a trust was created by the 1956 deed. Accordingly, it was necessary for the trial court to determine the purpose of the trust and whether the current circumstances justified VCC's decision to sell its property and build a new church. ¶ 42 The parties submitted numerous exhibits and provided lengthy testimony. Over 50 years of documentation was submitted detailing all aspects of the church's activities. See, e.g., Exs. 6-7, 11-16, 18-19, 21-23, 22-38, 60, 120. For example, membership reports detailed the number of active members for each year, the number of new members received by baptism and by letter, and the number of members lost during the year. See, e.g., Exs. 6-7, 11. Yearly attendance numbers noting the members' attendance at Sunday School, Morning Worship, Sunday Evening Worship, Youth and Prayer Attendance, Ladies Bible Study, and Vacation Bible School were produced. Id. Over 50 years of pastor reports were submitted providing the total number of calls made by the pastor to homes in the community, the number of sermons delivered, the number of walks through the valley of the shadows with families, the number of special services attended outside of Vaughn, the number of marriages occurring at the church, and the number of conferences and classes attended. See, e.g., Ex. 13. ¶ 43 Additionally, the record contains reports by the Board of Trustees describing 50 years of yearly maintenance and upkeep of the church building and property each year. Id. Treasury reports and annual budgets submitted provide the yearly expenditures for various church expenses such as salary, custodian, missions, bank loan, insurance, office supplies, heat, electricity, pension, and education. Id. ¶ 44 The pastor also discussed the composition and needs of its music ministry and VCC's rich history of providing mission help both at home and abroad. Id. VCC currently supports missionaries in such places as Brazil, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Central Asia. CP at 662-63. VCC supports orphan care in the Ukraine and staff at an eye hospital in Pakistan. Id. VCC also helps to build houses and churches in Mexico and supports the training of missionaries for future work in Africa. Id. ¶ 45 The trial court's findings included the following: 24. Since the time period when the Christian Church and ECC merged and the Subject Property was conveyed to VCC, VCC's attendance has grown substantially. Between 1982 and 1985, VCC was remodeled and expanded to its current condition. The remodeling included expanding the sanctuary, adding a fellowship hall, adding classrooms, bathrooms and office space. During the expansion the number of attendees at church grew significantly. Although VCC's attendance peaked in the 1980's, it is again approaching those levels. The Subject Property is approximately 1.6 acres in size. The sanctuary has 185 seats. The building is 9,512 square feet. The current parking area could be reconfigured and striped to hold up to 77 cars. 25. Allowing VCC to expand to meet the goals of a modern evangelical church is consistent with sound administration of the trust corpus. The testimony made clear that VCC could continue to use the Subject Property in its current condition, or with some modifications, but in doing so its members only continue to experience frustration at their inability to attract and serve the growing number of members in the community of Vaughn as well as the Key Peninsula area as a whole. The Court accepts the clear testimony and, therefore, finds that the goal of an evangelical ministry is to spread the gospel at home and more broadly. 26. The Court further finds that growth is an essential and necessary part of a successful evangelical church. The Grantors of the Subject Property, and, indeed, the plaintiff and many of plaintiff's witnesses, subscribed to growth as being one of the obligations placed upon an evangelical Christian church. 27. With respect to the Subject Property's suitability to serve the needs of VCC in effecting the purpose of the Charitable Trust, the Court finds that the trustee, VCC, and its congregation, have determined that it is impracticable to effect the purpose of the Charitable Trust on the Subject Property. 28. There are many problems with the building and the property itself which make it impracticable for VCC to carry out its obligations under the Charitable Trust. For example, there are parking problems. There is a greater demand for parking today, than there was 50 years ago (and even 20 years ago) due to societal changes. There are more cars per household now, and in some households every member of the family drives a car. This Court takes judicial notice of the fact circumstances were different in 1949 and for several decades thereafter. Whether there are two or a dozen parking spots left outside this church on any particular Sunday morning during services does not mean there is not a parking problem. Parking needs to be of a nature where one can feel like there is free access to come and go to the property. Double parking in rows does not alleviate parking problems. 29. There are problems with the church building itself. The building must be practical and of a size reasonably sufficient for use in the present format of a church. Restroom space must be adequate and accessible to the disabled. Classrooms must be accessible and adequate for the members of the Church and those to whom the Church is trying to reach and minister. Seating availability and arrangements in the church sanctuary must be suitable for families to come and sit together. Activities for youth and children must be able to be accommodated. Circulation patterns within the church facilities must be safe, efficient, and inviting. The Court finds that all of these conditions are inadequate and problematic for this church at this site, thereby making it impracticable for use as a modern church. 30. There are stricter development regulations than those in force at the time of this conveyance. There are stricter sewage disposal requirements now. Fire codes have changed. There has also been an increase in the value and acquisition cost of adjoining and nearby properties, which, if acquired, could potentially alleviate some of the problems associated with the impracticability of the Subject Property. These reasons further illustrate the impracticability of remodeling or adding-on to the existing church buildings in light of the limitations inherent in the Subject Property related to its size and location. Thus, VCC must relocate and does not have the adequate funds to build the desired church facilities elsewhere without first selling the property currently held in trust. .... 32. There are other circumstances which make the Subject Property impracticable for a modern church (which is what the present congregation of VCC has indicated it wants). The expectations of these parishioners, and those who would make VCC their home church, are different from those of VCC's congregation in the 1940s and 1950s. Churches function in vastly different ways from churches 50 years ago, when there was a more informal assistance network and fewer single parent families with limited income, no transportation, and no safety net. The role the church plays in today's society has changed. 33. Moreover, there has been a proliferation of new churches in the Key Peninsula area, altering the expectations of parishioners that they place upon their home church and impacting their choice of a home church. 34. Thus, this Court finds that what was suitable for the continued use of a church as recently as the 1980s is different now. VCC as trustee of this charitable trust must deal with today's issues if it is to remain viable. VCC cannot be expected to satisfy today's needs in providing a Protestant evangelical ministry to the community of Vaughn with limitations imposed in the 1950s or even the 1980s. These circumstances, in the year 2002, make the continued and permanent use of this facility, which has been remodeled twice since 1949, impracticable for use as a modern church. CP at 390-92. ¶ 46 This breathtaking intrusion into the activities, belief and mission of the church and its members was necessary to justify deviation from the trust unnecessarily created by the trial court. Instead of rejecting this intrusion and unnecessary exercise, the majority's opinion encourages this invasion and discourages the free alienation of the church's property as intended by the 1956 deed.