Members of the North Buxton Community Church are trying to take back their place of worship. 
Back in June, it was reported that the owner, the British Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada, had ordered the local congregation out of the church.
Lawyer Steve Pickard says the congregation has now filed a $2-million suit against the BME Church.
“The position of the Bethel Congregation is that’s our land, our ancestors built it, it was only transferred to the BMEC for our use, because we’ve had a falling out you don’t just get to take the church,” Pickard explains.
“From a second perspective, even if we agreed with the BMEC that they have title, for the last 15 years this congregation has been maintaining the church and they’ve put approximately $1.2 million into the property since they broke away.”
He says if the BMEC wanted to stake its ownership, they should have stepped up before now and taken responsibility for the building, or repay the money the community has invested.
Pickard says ultimately, the congregation wants ownership of the church, as their ancestors are buried at the church’s cemetery.
The BMEC now has 20 days to file a statement of defence.
Pickard is handling the case at no cost to the congregation.
