Posted by the Kings Mountain (N.C.) Herald.
The elders and Rev. Greg Martin announced this week in a news release that First Presbyterian Church [Kings Mountain, N.C.] has joined ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, a rapidly growing denomination that exists to serve the local church and “reclaim a sense of covenanted biblical community.”
The action was effective June 10 after an almost unanimous vote of the congregation.
Previously affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA),”the congregation feels that ECO is more closely aligned with our beliefs and values,” according to the news release.
Clerk of Session Stella Putnam said that ECO has four main priorities, to lift up the centrality of the gospel, grow with an emerging generation of leaders and prioritize a wave of church innovation and create an atmosphere of accountability.
Among ECO’s Core values, she pointed out, are that “we believe that Jesus Christ must be at the center of our lives and making disciples of Jesus at the core of our ministry. We believe that the Bible is the unique and authoritative Word of God, and that it shapes our priorities. The unrivaled authority of the Bible directs our attention to be in concert with Christ’s very best for our lives.”
11 Comments. Leave new
“Bobbi White, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, said the Presbytery stands ready to support the seeking of dismissal in a constitutionally appropriate manner and looks forward to a prompt meeting with the session of First Presbyterian.”
How dare this church leave without paying a tribute to the presbytery, what are they thinking at First Pres. Oh yeah, they’re thinking they want to get off a sinking ship full of rats.
Stated Bobbi White, General Presbyter of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina, they “stand ready to support seeking dismissal in a constitutionally appropriate manner.” This is code for “get ready to pay through the nose.” The PWNC is one of the most Left dominated presbyteries in the entire PC(USA). It is heavily influenced by Asheville, NC congregations. In North Carolina, Asheville is called little San Francisco. It is no secret the PWNC has overwhelming disdain for Reformed traditional worship, though they will not admit it. So, may the LORD be with First Presbyterian Kings Mountain. Remain faithful and strong: there’s a storm a coming.
They are not listed as an ECO church on the ECO website, not sure ECO will accept them until a proper transfer is worked out? So I guess they are what now?
“get ready to pay through the nose.”
This vote was, according to the article, “nearly unanimous”. I’ll take the writer’s word for that in this particular case, but that’s not always true. I’m curious about something and wanted to ask the cheerleaders for exiting churches something. Sure, the congregation built the church and not the PCUSA, but if 30-40% of the congregation wants to stay, isn’t the reverse true? The ECO didn’t build that church either and it certainly seems important to conservatives that the church go to the ECO with their property intact instead of just entering as a body of believers renting space for the time being.
If a large chunk of the congregation says they didn’t want to retroactively build an ECO church, why shouldn’t the departing church leave some money behind to the denomination a bunch of their contributing members will most likely stay with after they leave? If 30-40% wanted to build PCUSA churches and not ECO churches, why shouldn’t their desires be respected with a settlement on the church’s way out the door? Do they not count as members of the congregation?
They got outvoted and rules are rules? Discernment processes and settlement rules are also rules. If a minority who voted to stay have to obey the rules, so does the majority who voted to leave, and no, “making us stay is evil so those rules are unfair and don’t count” is not an answer.
Will the PCUSA blow the money on political nonsense? Wouldn’t that be between the people who stay and the denomination itself?
They are still PCUSA until they are dismissed by their presbytery. If my church hadn’t gotten on the agenda for the fall presbytery meeting we would have been delayed another 5 months until the spring meeting. Then before we could actually leave, we had to write a check, turn over all original sessional records, make changes to pastor’s pension, change deeds, change the church name, church signage…..all per negotiations. My church is over 140 years old and that is a lot of records duplication. We voted unanimously in October to leave and it took about 5 months to get everything finalized and the deed signed.
Revisionist don’t tithe, thank God for endowments.
You know for a fact that only the conservatives who wanted to leave made significant donations to the church, and past donors (i.e. your endowments) all would support leaving if they were still alive?
It has to do with process. First, after a period of discernment, the congregation has to vote and declare by an overwhelming majority that they want to leave the PCUSA – but since they can’t go independent or “nowhere” they have to state up front where they want to move to. Consider it a declaration of intent. The ECO will consider them something like a “provisional member” (I’m not ECO, but I assume they have some transitional status). There usually follows a time of negotiation with the Presbytery for what is considered an equitable departure settlement – perhaps a ransom… There has to be a second vote by the congregation on the departure package. So far, this is still just a declaration of intent. Then the whole proposal – departure and package – goes to the Presbytery where the determinative vote happens. So at this point, Kings Mountain is a PSUSA congregation, and Transitional or Provisional member of the ECO. You know, one foot in the gutter and the other on the curb.
Scott, in cases where the vote is far from unanimous, the points you make have some merit. If there is a sufficient number of dissenters that could form a viable nucleus for a church remaining in the PCUSA, then the departing majority congregation should provide significant resources to help establish that remaining congregation with property or financial support. However, it sounds to me like you are not aware that in ECO as in the EPC, all congregational properties belong to the local congregation, not to the denomination. Should a congregation wish to depart from ECO or the EPC, it leaves with the blessing of the denomination and without any “exit fees” or legal contests.
I am a member of First Presbyterian Church of Kings Mountain and
98% of the congregation voted to leave PCUSA and join ECO.
Only one (1) member voted against the move.
Thank God for Bible believers that have the faith to stand agaist the work of Satan!