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A file photo of Jordan Schnitzer, president of Harsh Investment Properties. Harsch asked a controversial church to leave Harsch-owned property after a pastor made anti-LGBT remarks following the massacre in Orlando, Florida.

(Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian)

A Sacramento church will need to find a new place to congregate after its pastor ignited a firestorm of protests and controversy for praising the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Florida.

Portland-based Harsch Investment Properties indicated to Verity Baptist Church that it would not renew its lease when it expires and asked the church to consider leaving the Northgate Business Park sooner without penalty.

"We will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives," Harsch said in a statement.

The lease doesn't expire until March 31 of next year.

"In the 66 years since our company was founded, we have stood for the rights of all individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, to live their lives and follow their dreams," the statement reads.

Just hours after the attack - the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history - Pastor Roger Jimenez told his congregation at Verity that members of the LGBT community are pedophiles and praised the shooting, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"I think Orlando, Florida is a little safer tonight," he said. "The tragedy is more of them didn't die. ... I'm kind of upset he didn't finish the job."

Jimenez added that he would like gays and lesbians to be lined up against a wall so a firing squad could "blow their brains out," the Times reported.

John Shorey, a senior vice president at Harsch who manages the firm's Sacramento arm, said in a statement that Harsch is in the process of "assisting [Verity] with their relocation efforts."

Founded by Harold Schnitzer in 1950, Harsch controls over 100 properties comprising 23 million square feet of space in Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. Harold Schnitzer's son, Jordan Schnitzer, now serves as the company's president.

-- Luke Hammill

lhammill@oregonian.com

503-294-4029

@lucashammill