Seventh-Day Adventists Statement on Tenn. Pastor Arrested in Loma Linda

Seventh-day Adventist Church of North America issued a statement Monday about a Tennessee pastor who was arrested Friday on the grounds of its church in Loma Linda.

Walter McGill, 66, pastor of Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church in Guys, Tenn., was arrested Friday on a federal warrant, according to the sheriff's department.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church of North America and McGill are involved in a trademark infringement dispute, according to court records.

McGill, who also calls himself "Pastor Chick," came to Southern California to surrender to federal authorities on Sunday, according to church officials. He has stated his intent to fast while in jail.

George Johnson Jr., communication director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, issued a statement just before noon Monday.

"It is not the intention of the Seventh-­day Adventist Church to shut down Pastor McGill's ministry. Recent developments are the result of actions taken by the court because Pastor McGill did not comply with the court's ruling.

"We believe that Pastor McGill has the right to exercise his religious beliefs and operate a ministry, however to falsely identify himself with an organization of which he is not a part, is not acceptable.

"This false association confuses the public, media and at times our own members. The Seventh‑day Adventist Church has defined processes and procedures for establishing and maintaining congregations."

McGill began the Creation Church in 1991, and in 2006, the Seventh-day Adventist Church sued for trademark infringement because McGill used "Seventh-day Adventist" in his church's name, Johnson said.

Although the Church won, McGill refused to stop using the name, Johnson said.

"The doors of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are always open to the community and to anyone who wishes to worship in one of our more than 6,200 congregations in North America," the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America statement said.

"The Seventh-­day Adventist Church is a Bible-believing Protestant church. Its members base their faith, hope and future in Jesus Christ. 'Seventh-day' indicates our adherence to the biblical Sabbath, while 'Adventists' means we anticipate the promised return of Christ and identifies our faith community and distinct value system. The Church has more than 17 million members worldwide and 1.2 million members in North America."

The roots of the Loma Linda University Church go back to the original Loma Linda Sanitarium hospital, which was established in 1905.

"Employees of the Sanitarium soon began meeting in the parlor for church services," according to the church's website. "The Loma Linda Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially organized with sixteen members on January 6, 1906."

Approximately 6,500 members of the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church comprise the largest Adventist congregation in North America, according to the church's website.

An April 2012 court ruling in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Eastern Division names the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-Day Adventists and the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists as plaintiffs, Walter McGill of Creation Seventh Day Adventist Church as defendant, and third-party Lucan Chartier.

"(T)he sanctions imposed herein are civil," U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen wrote in his conclusion. "The Plaintiffs are awarded attorney's fees associated with filing the notice of additional violations of court orders and motion for setting evidentiary show cause hearing and for appearing in Court for the evidentiary hearing on that motion. Counsel for the Plaintiffs is directed to submit an affidavit detailing those fees within thirty days from the entry of this order.

"McGill and Chartier are each fined $500 to be payable to the Clerk of Court for the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee," Breen wrote. "Finally, McGill and Chartier are directed to file with the Clerk of this Court and serve on Plaintiffs, within fifteen days after issuance of this Order, a report in writing, under oath, setting forth in detail the manner and form in which they have complied with the Court's orders and injunction.

"If McGill and Chartier fail to timely submit this written report, under oath, the Court will direct the United States Marshals Service to issue a warrant for their arrest."

The warrant for McGill's arrest on Friday was out of Los Angeles, a sheriff's spokeswoman said Monday. A pdf copy of the April court ruling is attached to this report.

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