BACKGROUND: We signed a lease in March, 2006 for office space at the Congregational Church in Cambridge at 11 Garden Street for the period up to Dec. 31, 2006. The church knew about our positions when we signed the lease because they received many samples of our literature. The lease says nothing about our group having to have political positions with which the Church must be comfortable.
We received two letters one dated October 10th and the other October 28th from senior church officials. The text of the first letter follows. In the second letter, they state that they wanted us to leave ASAP but that they would honor the lease that ended on Dec. 31st. They also stated in the same letter that they would take actions to remove us BEFORE that date unless the political statement was featured prominently on this website: "We expect the statement to appear within the current week. If it does not, we will act with deliberate speed to end your tenancy before the December 31 deadline of your current lease." WEBMASTER: Text of the second letter will be posted soon.
Text of the letter from church officials dated October 10th:
During the last five weeks, our office has been receiving numerous calls expressing concern about the nature and purpose of your organization. Some of these calls have come from individuals and organizations with whom we have important relationships. In order to maintain these relationships and address these concerns, our staff has expended unacceptable levels of time and energy. This is a distraction that we can no longer permit.
Therefore, we feel that we must ask you to vacate the space you are currently using in the building no later than November 15, 2006, and not to seek to renew your building use agreements with the Church.
Please inform us in writing of your receipt of this request and of your intention to comply.
Sincerely
Guy Stuart, Chairperson
Building and Grounds Commmittee
J Mary Luti
Senior Minister