Halfway to forever by Karen Kingsbury

your organization no money in refunded lease payments. This enforcement goes into effect immediately, as
your time slot at City Hall will be filled by another organization this coming Sunday. Sincerely, the
Benson City Council."' Matt went on to explain how the letter took the First Church of the Valley by
surprise. "See-" he gazed at the jurors-"the church leaders had missed the clause at the end of the lease
agreement. They had no idea why they were in violation of the lease." Matt pared several steps back and
forth, making eye contact with each of the jurors. Any doubts they may have had about him and his
argument were dissolving like sugar in water. The church, Matt told them, had paid one year's rent up
front seven hundred dollars per month for a total of $8,400. "In addition to kicking the church out of their
rented facility with virtually no 291 warning because of a lease clause that clearly violates the U.S.
Constitution-" he paused for effect-"the Benson City Council made the poor decision to keep thousands of
dollars in lease money Even though the building was no longer available to the church."
For the next twenty minutes Matt gave the jury the gist of the story, the fact that Pastor Carson contacted
the City Council and talked to a secretary who told him about the overlooked clause in the lease and then
added, "Your church's name convinced us you wouldn't be in violation."
Matt allowed his tone to grow incensed for a moment, and he
could read the same emotion in the eyes of several jurors. "The
church's name?" He shook his head. "In other words, since the
name Christ or Jesus wasn't in the name of Pastor Carson's church,
the Benson City Council thought they were safe. Safe enough that
they didn't need to check what doctrine was being preached each
Sunday" He shifted his weight and cocked his head. "But then
someone told someone, and they told someone else, and the
Sunday before Pastor Carson's church lost their lease, three members
of the Benson City Council showed up at the Sunday service."
Matt prayed his closing words would leave an impression.
"This was a case, ladies and gentlemen, that had to be brought to
trial. Because the Benson City Council had the audacity to make
a law prohibiting the free exercise of religion-in this case, the
Christian religion. An action that flies in the face of our
Constitution and everything this country stands for. An action our
founding fathers hoped to avert when they wrote the First
Amendment."
He paced to the far end of the jury and noticed that each pair
of eyes followed him. "We cannot allow that, friends. Not here,
not in Benson. Not anywhere in the United States. Because once
we let our government decide what's acceptable in church meet290
H A L F W A Y T O F 0 R E V E R
ings taking place in City Halls, we're only a short jump to letting them decide what's acceptable in
churches." Matt's voice rang with sincerity. "And that would mean everything our forefathers stood for,
every battle fought in the name of freedom, would be for nothing."
Matt shrugged one shoulder. "And so, honestly, ladies and gentlemen, this is not a case about separation of
church and state. It's a case about standing up for freedom. My freedom, your freedom." He pointed to the
front row of spectators where Pastor Carson was seated next to his wife among fifty people from First
Church of the Valley. "Their freedom. On that note, we are not only asking that this church be allowed to
maintain their lease with the Benson City Hall. We're asking for damages. Certainly the money kept by the
city these past months, when Pastor Carson's church has had to meet in various less desirable facilities.
But also punitive damages."