BAKERSFIELD, CA - The battle for control of St. John Missionary Baptist Church is set to come to a head within the next few weeks.
The church is a house divided, with some parishioners supporting the senior pastor and others who want to see him kicked out.
A court commissioner has ordered the congregation to take a vote, and soon.
A cloud of uncertainty hangs over St. John Missionary Baptist Church. The future of its pastor, Antonio Alfred, hangs on a vote of the congregation.
"Really it's about exposing him and looking into what is in the best interest of St. John." Holly Mitchell is among a half dozen congregants and a portion of the deacon board who sued to force the church to take the vote.
Court Commissioner Linda Etienne agreed and said the vote should take place by December 16th.
"They put, and I say put, he was not called to be the pastor there. As someone in place who was incompetent to be our leader, he had no pastor at all," said Mitchell.
The pastor has his supporters too, who resent this even became a legal matter before the court.
"The word of God says Christians should not have the world system figure out their problems and their issues. God is our only judge," said parishioner Glenda Woolfolk.
Both sides submitted nominees to act as a referee to oversee the vote. They submitted the nominations last week.
But, Mitchell has bigger questions about the church's finances, and as a result, about the church's future.
"As of Friday, both of those were delinquent to the that tune, $16,000 to PG&E and $2,500 to the water bill," said Mitchell.
And, there's the church's savings account, she says. "From the $500,000 it was down to $266,000. Since that time it was down to $50,000 just two to three months ago."
17 News was told Pastor Alfred was not at the church when we visited Tuesday, and he did not immediately return our request for comment.
"They haven't had a deacon board since last May, and Pastor Alfred won't let them because he doesn't want to answer any questions," said Mitchell.
The church is a house divided, with some parishioners supporting the senior pastor and others who want to see him kicked out.
A court commissioner has ordered the congregation to take a vote, and soon.
A cloud of uncertainty hangs over St. John Missionary Baptist Church. The future of its pastor, Antonio Alfred, hangs on a vote of the congregation.
"Really it's about exposing him and looking into what is in the best interest of St. John." Holly Mitchell is among a half dozen congregants and a portion of the deacon board who sued to force the church to take the vote.
Court Commissioner Linda Etienne agreed and said the vote should take place by December 16th.
"They put, and I say put, he was not called to be the pastor there. As someone in place who was incompetent to be our leader, he had no pastor at all," said Mitchell.
The pastor has his supporters too, who resent this even became a legal matter before the court.
"The word of God says Christians should not have the world system figure out their problems and their issues. God is our only judge," said parishioner Glenda Woolfolk.
Both sides submitted nominees to act as a referee to oversee the vote. They submitted the nominations last week.
But, Mitchell has bigger questions about the church's finances, and as a result, about the church's future.
"As of Friday, both of those were delinquent to the that tune, $16,000 to PG&E and $2,500 to the water bill," said Mitchell.
And, there's the church's savings account, she says. "From the $500,000 it was down to $266,000. Since that time it was down to $50,000 just two to three months ago."
17 News was told Pastor Alfred was not at the church when we visited Tuesday, and he did not immediately return our request for comment.
"They haven't had a deacon board since last May, and Pastor Alfred won't let them because he doesn't want to answer any questions," said Mitchell.