Terry Fox to Keep on Preaching at Park Site
By Bill Wilson, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.
Jul. 10–Monday’s bankruptcy filing by Wild West World should have no immediate impact on the Rev. Terry Fox’s Summit Church.
Fox said the church will continue to hold services at the park’s Johnny Western Theatre.
And he said Thomas Etheredge’s bankruptcy attorneys have said the church can proceed with a land contract to build a new church in the park’s commercial area.
Fox, who had an office at Wild West World until moving to a downtown Valley Center office park six weeks ago, said the Etheredges are personal friends.
“We’re sad,” he said. “We love Thomas and Cheryl. We’ve been told that we can continue our lease on the theater, and we’re going to continue to love them and pray for them.”
However, Fox — a politically active pastor who was at the forefront of a statewide effort to ban gay marriage — bristled when asked if the friendship harmed Etheredge’s business.
“I really don’t,” he said. “It’s silly for people to say that. We just leased the property. We weren’t part of the business.”
Summit Church is one of Etheredge’s creditors, at $401,895 in Monday’s bankruptcy filing. Fox founded the church after an acrimonious split with Immanuel Baptist Church in September 2006.
Fox himself also is listed as an unsecured creditor for $50,000.
Fox and Etheredge’s bankruptcy attorney, Ed Nazar, said that money represents the church’s partial payment to Etheredge for the land.
The church announced plans in April to buy five acres of land across the street from Wichita Greyhound Park.
Fox said in April the church paid between $2 and $10 per square foot for the land, but would not give an exact cost.
“Our goal is to continue with the purchase,” he said.
Reach Bill Wilson at 316-268-6290 or bwilson@wichitaeagle.com [mailto:bwilson@wichitaeagle.com].
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