Court Orders Minister To Return Church Keys, Mercedes and Stay Away From Church Premises

On Thursday, an Alabama state trial court issued a preliminary injunction ordering Rev. Juan McFarland to turn over his church keys to the deacons and trustees of Montgomery's Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church that he led for 24 years. He was also ordered to return the Mercedes furnished to him by the church and to stay away from the church. AP reports that lay laders of the church filed the lawsuit against McFarland after the congregation voted in a contentious meeting to fire the minister, but he refused to leave.  He continued preaching, changed the church locks, took control of its bank accounts and attempted to fire longtime church officials.  The congregation's action was triggered by a series of sermons McFarland delivered in August and September in which he confessed to having sex with married church members in the church building, not telling his sex partners that he has AIDS, and using illegal drugs. He said God commanded him to make the publc confession.  A court  hearing on a permanent injunction is scheduled for Dec. 1.