Church congregation back pastor, ousts board

Tuesday, March 24, 1998 | 10:12 a.m.

A majority vote by the embattled congregation of the Greater St. James Missionary Baptist Church replaced the board of directors at a general membership meeting Sunday and elected a pastor who has led a crusade to wrest control from the former board.

The doors to the building at 316 Madison Ave. had been locked since December as a result of a conflict between two opposing sides within the church -- one side supporting the board and its policies and the other supporting the Rev. Donald Walker.

Walker led abbreviated services in front of the church on Sunday mornings as lawsuits filed by the opposing sides wound their way through District Court.

Ralph Price, chairman of the board of directors, was ordered on several occasions to turn the keys over to Walker, but didn't do so until the keys were given to Walker's attorney, Clarence Walker, Friday.

Walker said when he entered the church Saturday he discovered it had been vandalized, but there were no signs of forced entry.

He said most of the vandalism was directed at his property.

"Someone took a pen and poked holes in one of my robes," Walker said.

The public announcement system was missing, there was glass in the pulpit area, Walker's pulpit chair was missing and his licenses and certificates were removed from the walls of his office.

But, he said, that is now part of history.

He is looking forward to reinvigorating his congregation and preparing for the 50th anniversary of the church, coming up in April.