When the "Trust Clause" Breaks Trust
On 1/11/26, a videoconference meeting took place between the Pacific Coast Japanese Conference superintendent and the Peninsula Hope Church Board of Trustees (which included our pastor). In the context of the commercial lease agreement that the superintendent had executed without Peninsula Hope Church’s legal participation, our pastor raised the subject of property ownership. There was agreement that the property title records Peninsula Hope Church as the owner. Our pastor then asked the superintendent, “So you don’t need any of the Board members’ signatures for this decision-making?” The superintendent replied, “Your signatures are not legal. They don’t mean a thing on a piece of paper.”
Then the PCJC superintendent invoked the “trust clause” which is an addendum on the property title, which basically conveys that should Peninsula Hope Church cease to function or exist, then the church property would be transferred to the Free Methodist Church denomination.
Using the “trust clause,” the superintendent then proceeded to make several alarming claims.
“The title doesn’t matter. We [the denomination] own the church.”
“We own the building.”
“… because of that, your signatures are not necessary for anything I do, and… nor Jay’s signature [senior pastor at WestGate]. I don’t need anybody’s signature, just mine.”
“I actually don’t need your permission.”
13 days after the videoconference, the decision was made to fire our pastor without any formal, written cause.
Is it true that the superintendent can do anything he wants? The ecclesiastical law of our denomination is laid out in its Book of Discipline. It describes three specific circumstances when the “trust clause” would kick in.
- ¶5120.B.3.d – the superintendent takes “charge of societies [churches] without pastors.”
- ¶6400.G – “Whenever any church property is no longer used permanently for church purposes,” and there is no remaining board, the conference “shall take possession of the property by due process of law.”
- ¶6420 – when the viability of a church is in question, the conference can close or “disband” it. In so doing, the conference can “assume responsibility of the property, assets…”
Sadly, none of these criteria existed. In contrast, Peninsula Hope Church and its Japanese congregation had about 50 attendees, was financially stable, was being led by an established and loved senior pastor, and some would say was even on its way to growing.
A few meetings were held between the superintendent and the pastor-less Japanese congregation, in which several church members passionately implored for the reinstatement of our beloved pastor, but to no avail. Appeals to the national denomination, were also sadly denied.
We continue to pray for accountability, healing, and reconciliation. We are concerned about the future of Peninsula Hope Church and its $8M property.
If you have a ton of free time and enjoy literary challenges, you can access the Book of Discipline and read it for yourself.
2023 Book of Discipline, Free Methodist Church – USA – Free Methodist Church USA