COOPER CITY, Fla. — With a court deadline looming, two groups fighting for control of Christ the Rock Community Church's leadership settled their dispute by handing power to an interim board of directors.

The Sun-Sentinel reported the settlement, announced Oct. 29, came ahead of a Nov. 12 deadline. The 6,000-member church's financial operations have been handled by Fort Lauderdale attorney Chuck Lichman, who was appointed receiver by a Broward circuit judge Aug. 22.

Lichman was the sole person authorized to sign checks and pay bills for the church. The settlement means the church now regains control of its destiny, the newspaper reported.

The new directors will serve until Feb. 29

They will establish new bylaws, including procedures to select permanent directors, and create an audit committee to provide financial oversight and a search committee to recruit a new pastor.

Lichman said church members will play a role in selecting directors for the first time.

"You want to voice who your directors are," he said. "Never once in the history of the history of the church has there been anything close to democracy."

The dispute began after former pastor John Wagner announced he was divorcing his wife, Margie Wagner, and resigning to open the Church of Abounding Grace in Pembroke Pines.

Margie Wagner filed a lawsuit Aug. 8 with Dennis Rode and her father, the Rev. Raul Cordero, claiming they were directors of the church. The suit's defendants, church members Robert Barnes, Augie Bucci and Neal De Jesus, claimed they were the directors.

Under the settlement, Bucci joins Corwin Anthony, John Chenelly, LaGuardia Cross Sr., Yvonne Eldon, Mark Davis and Patrick Scott as directors.

Lichman, Wagner and Cordero have resigned from the congregation, while Barnes took the helm as interim pastor, the newspaper reported.