The session of 835-member First Presbyterian Church in Harrisonburg, Va., voted unanimously on Oct. 28 to request dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Following a 24-hour congregation-wide prayer vigil and fast, the church’s session voted 33-0 to ask Shenandoah Presbytery to graciously dismiss them from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and into ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
According to a letter sent to church members and posted on the church web site, “the roll call vote, including pastors, was unanimous (33 votes) with one of the two members not in attendance issuing statement for the record in favor of dismissal.”
The letter, signed by the Rev. Jon Heeringa, session moderator and Paula Thompson, clerk of session, said, “Our prayer now is that presbytery will act graciously and swiftly to endorse our request for dismissal, that our application to ECO will be accepted, that the above goals will be satisfied and the Kingdom of God advanced.”
Speaking of the anticipated next steps, the letter said the most important ones are continued prayer and fasting and continued commitment to Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture.
After the church session notifies the presbytery of its request, a presbytery listening response team will work with the session and congregation and make a recommendation to the presbytery. The process will continue with the presbytery appointing an administrative commission to work with the church to develop an acceptable dismissal agreement. Once an agreement is reached, it will be submitted to presbytery for debate and approval.
The letter emphasized that in accordance with the presbytery’s Gracious Dismissal Policy, “there is NO congregational vote on the questions surrounding dismissal … Under this Dismissal Policy, presbytery is in sole control of any decision to dismiss a church from PCUSA.”
The question of why First Presbyterian is seeking to leave the PCUSA is answered on the church’s FAQ page:
Historically, First Presbyterian Church Harrisonburg has been traditional in its theology and beliefs including foundational truths, such as; Jesus Christ alone is the Way of salvation and the Bible alone is the Word of God and our sole authority for faith and life. Over the years, the PCUSA denomination has demonstrated a shift in beliefs inconsistent with orthodox theology.
Examples of the shift included the authority and interpretation of Scripture, difference in how Jesus Christ is viewed, and divided loyalties and diverted energies
For more information on the church’s process of discernment, visit the web site.
6 Comments. Leave new
First Presbyterian on Court Square in Harrisburg should be congratulated for their discernment. The congregation stands as an example for all main line congregations and denominations in the United States of America, particularly for those denominations against whom the assault has just begun.
Now, we suppose the PCUSA is going to want the congregation to buy their building and want to withhold the congregations fair share of endowments and foundation assets. What else is new?
The Presbyterian brand slips into less than worthlessness, except as a case study and example of what happens when subversive individuals are allowed to take over a denomination. The embarrassment and loss of prestige at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, referring to the recent Ebola tragedy there, is just the start.
Now, let’s see if Shenandoah Presbytery can be gracious. Their sister presbytery, Presbytery of the Peaks , is anything but gracious. They are tying up churches wishing to leave in malicious nonsense. Their un-Christian behavior is shameful. Prayers for this congregation and for the many others wishing to leave.
Red_Dirt,
Again you make a thought provoking comment about Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas. Interesting, I hadn’t even thought about the connection. New York Presbyterian Hospital is another major medical center, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I was quite familiar with them for many years while living in NYC. In fact, am probably permanently disabled after a botched knee operation there…more lies, greed, corruption and flagrant abuses of power…for another discussion.
I follow one of the PCUSA Churches I used to attend, in Fort Lauderdale. They are in all kinds of hot water with the city government there, for circumventing the rules of law regarding feeding the homeless in public. I’m finding it both comical and amazing/sad that they have the audacity to publicly make defamatory remarks about the police/other civil authorities while simultaneously deliberately breaking the law in the name of social justice. Where they get the nerve to act in such a state of public disgrace is beyond all human comprehension. I still think a lot of these congregations have been taken over by satanic forces, partially possessed, at least.
@ SK – Louisville has nothing to do with this – this congregation was constituted by a presbytery and they are a congregation of that presbytery – if they want to set aside that constituting act and relationship they will need to work through that process with their presbytery. That is the right and orderly thing to do. If they attempt to disaffiliate, they may lose that battle in the Virginia courts. Are you just making comments like this because you have been watching too much Fox News? Get a grip…
SK, your passion’s appreciated – and your indignation’s noted politically and ecclesiatically.
The Church, though, follows Christ Alone, Scripture Alone, etc…not Caesar / Right or Caesar / Left.
Some gracious separation procedures, however they turn out, are equitable and glorify the Son of God.
God always maintained his prophets in 1. the more faithful side of his kingdom (Judah) and 2. the less faithful side (Ephraim). My family and I departed a while back, for the more faithful side.
Few independently styled Presbyterian Church will be much of a blessing to any faithful Presbytery that they go “bolting off” to. They’ll just become the new bullies down there, because they cut a covenant with autonomy, however honorable may have been their motive.
** They’ll just become the new bullies down there, because they cut a covenant with autonomy, however honorable may have been their motive.**
As Jesus would teach, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”