The North Carolina Conference learned on December 31, 2024, that the plaintiff’s appeal was granted, and the ruling of the trial court dismissing the lawsuit filed by the former Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church members has been reversed by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The Conference respectfully disagrees with the decision of the Court of Appeals and plans to file a Notice of Appeal and Petition for Discretionary Review to ask the North Carolina Supreme Court to review and reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.
While this lawsuit is taking place, the Conference has been careful to maintain the Fifth Avenue church building in good working condition and has periodically held events open to the public. The Conference eventually hopes to make use of the property in ways that will be a blessing to the community and serve the mission of The United Methodist Church, but no commitments will be made with respect to the long-term use of the property until this lawsuit is fully and finally resolved.