LYNDEBOROUGH — An ongoing dispute with the town over the tax-exempt status of a parcel owned by the United Church of Christ has come to a head, and the church now faces nearly $1,000 in taxes on four acres the town says is not being used for religious purposes.

Central to the dispute is land owned by the church that has been exempted from the tax rolls for years because it has building about the size of a shed that can be used for religious worship.

The building is closed on three sides and has a large window of glass block and two pews. There are pictures of Jesus, a crucifix and other religious symbols in the building.

The church purchased the land years ago in anticipation of one day using it for a new sanctuary, but the focus of the 26-member congregation has been on restoring the three buildings the church owns in town, said Mary Lemire.

Lemire, whose husband, Paul, is the pastor, said the congregation thought the tax issue had been resolved years ago.

“We received a tax bill in 2008, and the selectmen said that if we put up a building to be used for worship, we'd get our tax exempt status,” Lemire said.

But in August the Lemires received a letter from the board of selectmen saying that since the land and small chapel didn't appear to be being used for religious purposes, the property would be taxed.

“We were really surprised to get that letter,” Lemire said. “We thought this issue had been taken care of.”

But Town Administrator Kate Thorndike said that the current board of selectmen, which includes different members than the board that approved the tax exemption, looked at the issue differently and decided that part of the property needed to be taxed, because it clearly wasn't being used for religious purposes.

Thorndike said only part of the 4.5-acre property qualifies for an exemption from property taxes.

“Our job here is to make sure we're assessing all properties fairly and equitably,” Thorndike said. “We're not taxing the chapel, the driveway or the parking area, because that's used for religious purposes. We're taxing the land surrounding the chapel that's just sitting there vacant.”

Thorndike said the land is worth about $45,000 and the town would stand to gain around $1,000 a year in tax revenue from the land.

Lemire said the congregation hasn't decided what to do regarding the tax exemption, but there are plans in the works to create a religious-based trail system through the land, complete with stations where people can recite Bible passages and prayers while getting some exercise.

- - - - - - - -

Nancy Bean Foster may be reached at nfoster@newstote.com.