KC-area church sued for using name

Published Thursday, August 2, 2007

KANSAS CITY (AP) - The Community of Christ filed a federal trademark infringement suit against a small church in suburban Kansas City for what the larger church says is an improper use of its former name and initials.

The Community of Christ, which has about 250,000 members worldwide, is suing South Restoration Branch of Raytown. The lawsuit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court.

The Community of Christ, headquartered in Independence since 1920, split from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1860. Its members stayed there when the larger Mormon church moved to Utah.

It was known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly abbreviated "RLDS," until 2001 and still holds trademarks on both designations.

"The church legally trademarked these names," presiding Bishop Steve Jones said yesterday, "and has taken ... steps throughout the years to retain its ownership of all right, title and interest in and to the marks ‘Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ and ‘RLDS.’ "