Another Colorado congregation is joining ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
Corona Presbyterian Church in Denver is the seventh church from Colorado to join the new denomination started in January 2012. The 116-member congregation was dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to join ECO during a Sept. 30, 2013, meeting of Denver Presbytery.
A catalyst for change
The Rev. John Geiter, pastor of Corona, said the passage of Amendment 10A in May 2011 started an internal discernment process for the nearly 110-year-old congregation that ultimately led to dismissal after more than two and a half years of studying issues within the national denomination.
“(Leaving the denomination) had been a conversation piece for this church a long time so this is nothing new,” said Geiter, who has been the pastor at Corona for six years. “Historically, this church has struggled with where it fits into the PCUSA from a theological perspective. For at least the last 15 years there has been a reflection on the more liberal leanings of the PCUSA. There has been a disconnect, and several people have wanted to leave.”
The passage of Amendment 10A, which changed ordination standards, served as the catalyst to expedite the process of seeking a new denominational home.
“We began looking at what God was calling us to do and be,” Geiter said. “It was not a focus on the issue of homosexuality. We talked about what qualifies people to be leaders in the church, and it was a matter of looking at a person’s lifestyle. We’re not picking on any particular sin, but felt if a person is living a lifestyle of sin that disqualifies them from being a leader. We believe the authority of Scripture is pre-emptive.
“We felt the authority of Scripture was being undermined by what 10A represented and what it did. We felt that what was acceptable to us – standards of leaders – was being compromised.”
After discussing and praying over the matter, Corona’s session formally requested to enter the dismissal process with Denver Presbytery in the fall of 2012 and began meeting with a Discernment Team of the presbytery.
Geiter said the Discernment Team determined that Corona’s membership already had been through its internal discernment after attending a congregational meeting to listen as congregants expressed their concerns with the denomination and views on leaving the PCUSA.
A vote to accept terms of dismissal and depart for ECO scheduled for Sept. 15, 2013, was postponed for two weeks while some additional financial issues were resolved. The vote took place two weeks later on Sept. 29, and the congregation accepted the terms by a 69-0 margin.
The presbytery called for a special meeting Sept. 30 and approved dismissal of the congregation and Geiter.
The effective dismissal date was Dec. 1. The church requested that date to give time to handle insurance and benefits paperwork and finalize its alignment with ECO.
Under the terms of dismissal, Corona must pay $64,476.27 by Dec. 1, 2015. Included in that sum are back per capita ($30,476.27), future per capita for five years ($17,000) and funds for future mission endeavors of the presbytery ($17,000).
Corona will hold the title to the church building and continue to use the facility, however, Denver Presbytery will have a deed of trust on the property in the amount of $390,000 (a fourth of the current $1.56 million property appraisal).
Corona may pay off the indebtedness at any time. If it has not paid the debt to the presbytery and decides to relocate or sell the property, Denver Presbytery has the first option to buy the property for appraised fair market value with a 25 percent discount or receive a lump-sum payment of 25 percent of the future appraised fair market value rather than the original $390,000.
The option to purchase the property or receive payment for it also can be triggered if Corona does not pay $64,476.27 within two years of the dismissal agreement (by Dec. 1, 2015).
“I wouldn’t say we are thrilled, but we’re OK,” Geiter said of the settlement reached. “From the presbytery’s vantage point, they feel they are being incredibly gracious.”
Geiter said he and his congregants like the fact that ECO has a large grouping of confessions and creeds that support Scripture and that the denomination emphasizes the use of women in ministry. He also said the newness of ECO is a draw.
“We like that ECO is forming, and we can help be part of that formation,” he said. “There is a lot less bureaucracy. It’s not a top-down hierarchy, but one that is very much concerned about the local congregation.”
Geiter also added that there is an excitement to be joining a denomination that is such a close theological fit.
“It’s going to be wonderful,” he said. “We talk the same language, and we have essential tenets we are all in agreement with. In the PCUSA, that is scattered.”
No more distractions
The denominational wrangling of the past few years has been a distraction to the church’s ability to fully share God’s mission as it should, but Geiter said there’s no reason for that to happen moving forward.
“It has been a distraction and took a lot more time than we ever dreamed it would,” he said of the dismissal process. “There’s a hopeful optimism. God is leading us in a new direction, and it feels like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders.
“We don’t have to keep thinking how we’re in conflict with the denomination, at least theologically. We can focus on what we’re supposed to be focused on now.”
2 Comments. Leave new
It’s going to be very interesting to see the membership loss reports from Louisville this June. I expect these losses to be at least 4/10 greater than the losses suffered in 2012 by the Presbyterian Church USA. But I find it disturbing that the ECO and EPC are part of the same ecumenical alliance as the denomination with which they are breaking ties. I’d hate to think that the extraordinary sacrifices endured by many to break free from apostasy/revisionism/heresy would prove just a lateral move. It’s a lot more encouraging when people move to Reformed denominations outside of these alliances (like the PCA or the OPC, for instance). Yet, I cling to the hope that these newly formed alliances will soon endeavor to punctuate their commitment to traditional doctrine, values and presuppositionalism in general, by withdrawing from the World Reformed Fellowship altogether!
Eric,
It is my understanding that being part of that alliance or association (I forget all the names) allows for the transfer of churches from the PCUSA to the EPC or ECO. I support that as an avenue to allow churches to transfer if there are no better options. Our church made that transfer in the 1980’s. As a RE in an EPC church, I share the sentiment about being more involved with the Reformed communities represented by the PCA and OPC (and others). I suspect that the EPC would make that move, though I’ve heard nothing about it. The EPC is adjusting to all the former PCUSA churches joining the denomination and helping them adjust to an actual confessional home (reacquainting them with the WCF, larger and shorter catechisms, etc). There have been headaches by being member of that association for the EPC, so it would probably be a welcome change when/if it happens.