The holy war between a congregation and its Methodist governing body will be finally resolved next month.

And the result could be a new church is formed in the parish of Pembroke.

Yesterday final submissions were made in the Supreme Court in the civil action between the Wesleyan Methodist Trustees, the Synod of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bermuda and lay preachers Willard and Gwyneth Lightbourne.

The action arose after several trustees left the church with the Lightbournes and their supporters after disagreeing with the United Church of Canada's policy -- one of which is the ordaining of gays.

Ian Outerbridge QC, for the Lightbournes, said the only issue was whether or not the congregation acted unlawfully in continuing to visit the Grace Methodist Church on North Shore Road.

They did not because they were the true owners of the church, he said, adding he said it was his belief that there will be a new church with new trustees.

Sen. Lawrence Scott, for the Wesleyan Methodist Synod, said the trustees had to act as property owners.

He said the congregation wanted to be left alone to worship at the property: "They wanted to have their cake and to eat it too,'' he added.