Church Mutual Ins. Co. v. GuideOne Specialty Mutual Ins. Co.12/17/21 CA3 Case Details

BACKGROUND

Relevant Historical and Ecclesiastical Facts The relevant historical and ecclesiastical facts are relatively straightforward and largely undisputed. Mountain Lakes House of Prayer (Mountain Lakes) was founded in 1995 as a local congregation of the Church of God, serving congregants in the Shasta Lake area. Later that year, Mountain Lakes bought property in the City of Shasta Lake, including a church building. The grant deeds conveying the property designated the grantee: “California-Nevada Church of God, a California non-profit religious corporation dba

2 Mtn. Lakes House of Prayer.” In order to make sense of this designation, we must take a brief detour into the structure of the Church of God. The Church of God is a hierarchical church with its headquarters located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The highest governing bodies of the church are the International General Assembly, “composed of all members and ministers of the Church of God 16 years of age and above,” the International General Council, “composed of all ordained bishops,” and the International Executive Council, composed of various church executives. We need not set out their respective duties, except to note…