UMC sending minister to breakaway church

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Despite the recent return of the Agee Church congregation to its sanctuary, the United Methodist Church will send a minister there to preach today.

Karen Gordy-Panhorst, communications coordinator for the Missouri Area of the United Methodist Church, said Thursday that the Rev. Elroy Hines of the Kansas City, Mo., area had been asked to minister at the church.

"He will be there to present a United Methodist service to anyone who would like to join him," she said.

The Agee congregation was locked out of the church building May 22 after all 22 members voted to break away from the United Methodist denomination.

Poplar Bluff attorney Paul Kidwell said he would serve as the local legal representation for the United Methodist Church.

"According to judgments set forth by the Missouri Supreme Court and the country through the United States Supreme Court, the internal covenants and agreements of the denomination govern the disposition of church property," Kidwell said.

The United Methodist Conference has sent two different ministers, both from the First United Methodist Church in Sikeston, Mo., to preach at Agee during the past two Sundays.

On May 31, local church members were told by their attorney, Danny Moore, that there was no legal reason why they couldn't worship in the church, which they built in 1990 and paid for themselves.

The congregation returned to their sanctuary June 2. When representatives from the United Methodist denomination arrived, they were invited to sit in as visitors. Church members were told by the Rev. Bill Koch, the minister sent by the United Methodist June 2, that he was sent because their original pastor, Ray Hartbarger, had suffered a heart attack.

Koch now claims to have said that Hartbarger may have had "heart problems," instead of a heart attack.

Gordy-Panhorst said Hartbarger had not had a heart attack, but that he had submitted his request for retirement.