A legal scuffle involving the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) and a Korean congregation in Naperville has seen new developments, as a judge has now enforced a preliminary injunction ordering the breakaway group to surrender its church property and assets. The legal tussle, which centers around a property at 2403 W. Diehl Road and a parsonage at 2690 Bonita Court, was propelled after the Naperville Korean Church, formerly the Naperville Korean United Methodist Church, attempted to secede over disagreements concerning UMC's LGBTQ-related policies. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, DuPage County Judge Anne Hayes favored the Northern Illinois Conference in the ongoing court battle last week.
The roots of this confrontation extend back to a broader dispute within the United Methodist churches across the nation, with the church's official stance banning same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy. However, some regions and progressive churches have defied these rules. In light of these controversies, a five-year window that allowed congregations to leave the UMC officially expired in December, compelling churches like Naperville Korean to seek disaffiliation in late 2022. Despite attempts at disaffiliation, disagreements over the transfer costs and the congregation's control over the property led to the legal standoff. As part of the proceedings, the conference sent representatives to assert control over the assets, only to be denied access by the Naperville Korean Church, as detailed by the Chicago Tribune.
In response to the court's decision, the loyal members of the Church who continued to affiliate with the UMC gathered joyously for service at the disputed property on March 22. These congregants looked forward to strengthening their community and carrying out work within the broader Naperville area. "We plan to reach out not only to Korean-speaking people, but also to neighbors who may speak English, Spanish, or another language," Dr. KP Chung, a physician and leader among the loyal congregation, stated, as quoted by UM-Insight.
Meanwhile, Angela Im, an attorney representing the breakaway congregation, holds that the church was built by the Korean community for its own use and that they should maintain property rights. Im herself, drawn into the fray with personal ties to the congregation, is planning a GoFundMe campaign to aid their legal defense. "We really need volunteer attorneys to step up and help us," Im told the Chicago Tribune. The next hearing in the lawsuit is scheduled for May 15.
