Newspaper Article

Swarthmore: No lease
By Rose Quinn
Delaware County Daily Times 09/13/88

SWARTHMORE --- The board of the Swarthmore Community Center last night unanimously agreed that it did not have a lease with the Church of Our Saviour to rent the college-owned facility.

However, when reached at home by telephone after the meeting and asked whether the church would still be allowed to convene at the center, board members declined to respond.

The decision climaxed a three-hour meeting at the Harvard Avenue facility held to determine the fate of the controversial church, headed by the Rev. Frederick Drummond.

The session was closed to the public. Members of local churches and Christian groups were permitted to speak to the 14-member panel before representatives of Drummond's Church of Our 'Saviour were invited inside.

Representing the church was attorney Bruce E. Rodger and a minister, who declined to give his name. A court stenographer accompanied them as well.

"We don't even know what the argument is," Rodger said prior to the meeting. "We're here to find out what the situation is."

The board has asked the church to withdraw its application to rent the college-owned facility for services twice each Sunday.

According to sources, a rental agreement was arranged earlier this summer, when board members were unaware of

The Rev. Barry Shepherd, pastor of the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, located next door to the center, said he is concerned primarily about potential traffic and parking problems.

We are not anxious to see the congestion," Shepherd said.

Shepherd said he is also concerned about "two religious organizations meeting so close at the same time."

Sharon Vandergrift was on hand representing Swarthmore College's Campus Ministry. Of main concern to her are the tales of "coercive manipulative tactics" that have been linked to the church.

"I am here to listen and to see what is going on," Vandergrift said. "We under-stand the board is trying to get them out ... I hope that is the case."

The Swarthmore site is one of six locations eyed by Drummond to open regional churches under his leadership as a "father apostle." Other church sites are in South Philadelphia, University City in West Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, N.J., north Wilmington, Del., and the Villanova area (possibly at Villanova Univerisity).

Rodger said he was told he would hear today from the board.

Daily Times Staff Writer Angela Flagg contributed to this story.

State once again takes aim at church safety violations
By WILLIAM ALNOR
Special to the Daily Times

CONCORD - The state is close to ordering the 27-acre headquarters of the controversial Church of Our Saviour vacated due to serious building code violations, an official said.

James S. Varhola of the state Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety said the state gave the church until Sept. 26 to correct building code violations at the site.

"If the work is not completed we will take the next step - an order to vacate the buildings," Varhola said.

It turns out that future orders from the state may be moot. Two Sundays ago the church's pastor, the Rev. Frederick Drummond, announced that the church was closing at the end of October, and that six spin-off churches throughout the Delaware Valley had been created. He also closed the Brandywine Academy, the church's elementary school at the site.

As reported in the Daily Times more than two years ago, the church, located in the 700 block of Baltimore Pike, Concordville, was cited for 22 violations of state building and safety codes at two buildings on the site. The state issued various deadlines, but the church responded by repairing very minor problems and filing various appeals, extension requests and variance requests with the state, according to Varhola.

Records show that no certificates occupancy were granted for either school or a chapel building since build plans did not match the structure. Other violations included the lack of fire alarm systems and no automatic smoke and heat detection systems in place. The chapel building had an unsafe boiler system and structural defects, the state charged.

"If the work isn't done by the 26th September, don't expect us to be out there padlocking the door on the 27th," said Varhola. "The normal time it takes close a facility is about a year. Our wheels are continuing to turn to have the buildings comply with code."