 Montreat Presbyterian Church Steering committee aims to keep PCUSA congregation By Patrick Jean Staff Writer The Layman Online Friday, March 16, 2007 A steering committee has been formed that aims to keep the Montreat Presbyterian Church name within the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination.
That meeting came three days after the Montreat congregation voted 311-27, with three abstentions, to request the presbytery dismiss it to the smaller, more conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The vote followed a series of congregational meetings about whether to leave the PCUSA, with the session expressing concern over what it called "the denomination's increasing distance from historic, Biblical faith." "It has been suggested," the steering committee's letter states, "that a blended congregation of MPC members loyal to the PCUSA and members from PCUSA churches in the Montreat area continue the Montreat Presbyterian Church within the PCUSA." The letter lists 18 members, all of whom live and/or work in Montreat. None of the committee members contacted by The Layman Online would comment, except to confirm the committee's existence and say it meets once a week. The letter lists two ways to commit support to the steering committee's efforts: 1. "Become an active member of the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church (PCUSA). This is most appropriate [for] those who want to make this their primary church commitment." 2. "Become a 'supporting member.' This is most appropriate for those who want to remain active members of their current churches, but who also want to show their support for a PCUSA church in Montreat through prayer and occasional worship, financial contributions and volunteer activities." "Presbytery leaders look with great favor," the letter states, "upon the possibility that other PCUSA members who live in Montreat and the surrounding area will support efforts to ensure that there will be a continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) for future generations." The Rev. Bobbi White, Western North Carolina general presbyter, confirmed that the committee has been in touch with her presbytery. "We are following up and in conversation with them now," she said. The presbytery has formed what White called a "discernment group" to make recommendations regarding Montreat Presbyterian's future. The group is in "an information-gathering and discernment mode, relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit," the Rev. James Aydelotte, stated clerk, said in an e-mail. Recommendations from the group are expected at the presbytery's stated meeting April 24 at Montreat Conference Center. The presbytery's committee on ministry will meet with Montreat Presbyterian's session to review the vote and procedures followed by the congregation. The committee then will make a recommendation to the presbytery about the church's dismissal request. Montreat Presbyterian is not yet affiliated with the EPC, but a job opening for director of music and worship at the church is advertised on the denomination's Web site. What will become of the Montreat Presbyterian property may prove complicated. The congregation worships in a building owned by Montreat College and located on property that originally was part of the Mountain Retreat Association Trust. A separate three-story educational and church office building, built and paid for by the congregation, sits on property owned by the congregation through its trustees. The copy of the steering committee's letter obtained by The Layman Online states that the continuing Montreat Presbyterian (PCUSA) congregation would want to keep the church property. But at least one committee member said language about the property was removed before the letter was mailed out. Patrick Jean is a staff writer for The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at pjean@layman.org. |
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