A Korean American church in Chicago's suburbs is suing a primarily white congregation for rejecting its bid to purchase the congregation's property. The suit alleges the decision was based on racial grounds, a violation of Illinois' Human Rights Act.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed on September 18, Antioch Korean Covenant Church offered to pay $1 million to purchase Prospect Heights Community Church's building. The bid was rejected in favor of a $500,000 offer from Cornerstone Bible Church. Both Cornerstone and Antioch had rented space on the property before it went up for sale.

Prospect Heights Community Church officials did not respond to requests for comment. However, in a motion to dismiss the suit, the church's lawyer wrote that Antioch's offer letter was so unspecific as to "not constitute an offer under contract law."

Officials at the Prospect Heights church, which had experiencing a dwindling membership and financial difficulties, began discussing the sale of their building ...

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