The lawyer representing Covenant Presbyterian Church, said her clients have the right to change their affiliation and would defend themselves against the lawsuit.

The Hempfield-based Presbytery of Redstone, which oversees more than 15,000 practicing Presbyterians in Western Pennsylvania, is suing a Ligonier church for allegedly ignoring internal procedures for withdrawing from the presbytery.

In a lawsuit filed in WestmorelandCounty, officials said the Covenant Presbyterian Church has refused to comply with the steps required to leave the Presbyterian Church USA, which is the national organization that monitors 79 affiliated churches in Westmoreland, Fayette, Cambria and Somerset counties.

The Ligonier church has announced it intends to affiliate with the more conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which opposes the ordination of gay ministers.

Steve Benz, interim executive presbyter of Redstone, said the Ligonier church issued a list of reasons for its wanting to withdraw from the organization, including opposition to the national policy that allows gays in the pulpit and in church leadership positions.

“They had a list of reasons for leaving,” Benz said.

Covenant Presbyterian Church has about 425 members, Benz said.

In court documents, the national organization contends that the Ligonier church failed to comply with requirements that would allow Redstone to question members to see if any wanted to keep the current affiliation. The Ligonier church also ignored a requirement to turn over its financial records, the lawsuit alleges.

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