By Michael Gryboski, Christian Post.
A conservative Presbyterian denomination formed in response to the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s increasing acceptance of homosexuality has reached the milestone of 300 member congregations.
“We are blessed to have each and every church and church member in our ECO family. As we grow, it is our prayer that we continue to be a movement that builds flourishing churches that make disciples of Jesus Christ,” the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians announced on Tuesday.
The congregations listed as the latest ECO members include: Tacoma Central Presbyterian Church of Tacoma, Washington; Lenoir Presbyterian Church of Lenoir, North Carolina; Waldensian Presbyterian Church of Monett, Missouri; First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, California; Calvary Presbyterian Church of Enfield, Connecticut; and First Presbyterian Church of Towanda, Pennsylvania.
The Rev. Rachel Stahle, pastor at FPC Towanda, told The Christian Post that her congregation voted 74-12 in favor of leaving PCUSA back in June and were officially dismissed from the Mainline denomination earlier this month.
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I don’t consider ECO to be a CONSERVATIVE Presbyterian denomination…actually it is very middle-of-the-road. The PCUSA is perhaps the most Liberal Presbyterian denomination, although there were over 60 different Presbyterian denomination when I checked a few years ago. The Orthodox Presbyterian denomination is very conservative and fairly well known.
My issue here is that the PCUSA continues to position itself as Mainline, as if that is the same as faithful to Scripture, the Confessions, or its own historical practices. The 300 congregations which have joined ECO, as well as those which have joined other denominations (at great expense) did so because of changes in the PCUSA, and sexual behavior was not the major conflict. That is the narrative the PCUSA would like everyone to believe.
Our PCUSA congregation is in the process of moving to ECO and we couldn’t be more excited to join this denomination!
It’s been a long hard road and we have lost families along the way but we’ll be stronger for it in the end. Praise all mighty God!