Charlotte Presbytery wants
input on dismissal proposal
By Edward Terry, The Layman, September 23, 2009
HARRISBURG, N.C. – The Presbytery of Charlotte hosted a seminar last week to answer questions about its proposed dismissal policy, as well as gather input before it comes to a vote. The presbytery was scheduled to vote Sept. 15, but tabled the action until next meeting to allow for additional discussion and review of the proposal. Related stories
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A group of about 40 heard a presentation explaining the policy, asked questions and made suggestions on how it could be improved. There was both support for and opposition to the proposal.
The workshop was led by members of the 6-person committee that had authored the proposal, including: Robert Austell, pastor of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church and presbytery moderator; Brian Brock, associate pastor of Mallard Creek Presbyterian Church and Sam Roberson, Charlotte’s general presbyter and stated clerk. The one-hour seminar followed the regular stated presbytery meeting as one of four workshops participants could choose from.
Presbyteries from across the Presbyterian Church (USA) have been developing their own dismissal policies since last year’s General Assembly approval of an overture, proposed by Austell, encouraging a pastoral response. Several presbyteries have since enacted their own guidelines, while a handful of others already had developed policies.
The committee acknowledged that there’s still more work to do before bringing it to the floor, and urged those in attendance to help. Austell recently wrote about Charlotte’s proposed policy on his blog.
“There is no easy or perfect process to do this, but I think presbytery leadership has responded with integrity to the challenge from the General Assembly for every presbytery to pursue better and more pastoral means of addressing theological, missional, and relational disconnects within our bounds,” he wrote. “Based on input from that workshop, the writing team will seek to further improve the document, which will then be put before the presbytery for vote at the December presbytery meeting.”
The proposal stresses a commitment to reconciliation ahead of dismissal, but it does offer an out for those congregations that are certain of their intent. At the workshop, Austell stressed that dismissal is one of several outcomes that should be considered.
“Sometimes there is a restoration of fellowship … that is our hope,” he said. “My bottom line in this is that I hope that whatever the outcome for any particular congregation that explores this that it would result in a better and more effective witness for Christ in the community.”
According to Charlotte’s proposed dismissal policy, a majority of a congregation’s session must vote to initiate the process. A discernment team, consisting of four representatives from the presbytery and four from the congregation, is formed. A series of four meetings during a six-month period begin. Each of the meetings is to last two hours.
Roberson said the discussion goes against “every Reformed bone in his body” and a lengthy discussion period will get the opposing sides past the “hot-button” issues.
“If people sit down and spend at least nine hours together in serious conservation, then you have to get beyond ‘my line in the sand is homosexuality,’” Roberson said. “If it’s only buzz phrases where people get together with themselves, finally work themselves up to the point that they file civil suit and then we all go to court and fight it out, that is absolutely the most awful stewardship you can imagine.”
After the series of meetings, according to Charlotte’s proposal, the discernment team makes a recommendation to the congregation and presbytery. If the 8-member team advises restoration of the fellowship, a process begins that includes a recommitment service and blessing of any minority that leaves the congregation. If the team recommends dismissal to another Reformed body, the congregation has several options that will decide issues such as property rights, transfer of members who want to remain in PCUSA and a final service.
To be dismissed, according to Charlotte’s current proposal, a two-thirds quorum of active membership must gather and two-thirds of that group must approve the request for dismissal. If approved, the congregation can begin negotiating with the presbytery on the terms of dismissal. For a congregation to leave the presbytery with its property intact, a 90-percent majority of the voting membership must approve the dismissal. A majority between 66 percent and 90 percent requires an agreed-upon settlement with the presbytery.
Some workshop participants offered praise. One pastor said it’s a step in the right direction to show that the presbytery is willing to treat congregations fairly. Another participant called it a “wonderful document.”
Complaints included the policy providing a way for a minority to bully a congregation into dismissal, not being broad enough, and having too many steps. One workshop participant questioned if the document would dilute the property rights of individual congregations.
Roberson, who referred to the idea that a congregation owns its own property as “Presbyterian legend,” said the dismissal policy isn’t intended as a way to decide legal disputes in court.
“We don’t know if this document in this form would hold up in ecclesiastical court or in civil court, but it does describe what we think we ought to go through as a Presbyterian … if you’re seriously looking at the issue,” he said.
At the conclusion of workshop, the committee said that areas that needed work would be flagged and encouraged those who have further suggestions to contact them. The proposal will go before the presbytery’s council meeting on Oct. 20 and then to the full body for a vote Dec. 1.