By Viola Larson, Naming His Grace blog.
We live in a time of false teaching and apostasy. The Presbyterian Church (USA) carries this burden of apostasy. It usually cost something to stand faithfully in such times. In JRR Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, as a new evil Shadow arises and creeping darkness engulfs their universe, Frodo, the Hobbit, says, “I wish it need not had happened in my time.” Gandalf, the wizard, replies:
“So do I,” … “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
After going through the correct process of discernment, voting and obtaining enough yes votes to leave the PCUSA the session of received an e-mail with an attachment telling us that the church buildings and name would be given to those who voted against leaving. Among other items the negotiating team wrote:
“Having discovered a healthy group of Journey members who wish to continue Journey church as a PCUSA congregation, The Transition Team made a motion to COM in accordance with the Book of Order and the new Dismissal Policies, that Presbytery appoint an Administrative Commission with original jurisdiction in order to move forward with this intended plan. COM passed this motion unanimously.
“Subsequently, we mailed letters to the membership list that you provided, explaining the COM action, especially informing any who had voted against the dismissal request, that Journey, PCUSA church will continuine [sic] at the present location assuming that Presbytery adopts the motion.”
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As a private investor I get annual reports from many SP 500 companies, Dow, Apple, Dupont, Raytheon, Boeing, Cisco. All smart companies with some of the smartest people on earth. All say in their mission statements they value people, human beings, human capital as their primary value as an organization, and mission to serve.
When you reference the Constitution of the PCUSA, Property Held in Trust, one is drawn to a different conclusion. The contemporary PCUSA in the current use and application of the Property in Trust clause make it clear, they value, things, stuff, property, or its potential monetary yield, over people, human beings. Human beings do not exist for the PCUSA, nor do they have value, unless said people or their property can be monetized, assessed, or used in the process of price discovery in a legal sense. With the appropriate conclusions drawn by all concerned.
Yes, the PCUSA is not a plantation, nor are folks locked into pews, folks are free to come and go as they please. But much like migrants from a war zone, where the local warlords say you can go with the shirts on your backs, but your assets or treasure remain with us, so theological migrants or refugees from the PCUSA are told pretty much the same. And treated pretty much the same by their loving and inclusive, all affirming former presbyteries.
Well, since about 1973, then the current version of the trust clause came into be, far, far more folks have taken to the leaving part, rather than the stay. Folks are not dumb or stupid, they know full well, whom or what is on the other side of that table.
There is an overwhelming sense in this post of a church that has been betrayed, first by its presbytery and then, even more painfully, by some of its own members who conspired with the presbytery to throw to the curb the majority of those whom they had (deceitfully) called their brothers and sisters. Betrayal always hurts, and this kind of betrayal, wrapped as it is is pious religious garb, is especially cruel.
There is only word that adequately describes the actions of this presbytery and its allies among the minority group within the congregation – despicable.
It is clear that faithful Christians in the Journey were unequally yoked to unfaithful pretenders, both within the presbytery and within the congregation itself, and such relationships never work our well. Never. But now, at long last, the faithful members of the Journey can begin the next stage of their pilgrimage freed from the millstone that has long been hanging around their necks. This is the silver lining in the cloud.
It is my prayer that God will grant to his faithful people in Folsom the gift of his peace, the healing of their wounds, and a vision of the good things that he has in store for them in the days ahead. They have chosen the better portion, and God bless them for it.
Dear Layman,
There are giants in the land. Those who leave everything to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, and be His Disciples, set apart but in the world, (giants in the land). Anyone can use the philosophies of Kant and his followers to attempt to overlay Unitarianism or even Paganism on Christianity in the name of new enlightenment, etc.. In fact they augment, carelessly and unknowingly, the work of the principalities and powers of the air that Paul discusses and warns us about. Bravo for the EPC Journey congregation, and Bravo for their new location. Ten years from now the power and success of the new EPC Journey congregation will be very evident around the Folsom community, as the Lord uses them mightily. Those who support Unitarianism in the name of universal self-indulgence called “Love” and who engage, in essence, in rejection of the Father, the scriptures, and the heart of God, will find themselves used by and eventually abused by the principalities and powers they have unknowingly and carelessly allied themselves with. Bravo for the EPC Journey congregation, there are giants in the land. God’s speed, in the season of our Savior’s birth.
In Christ,
John Almquist
So sorry, Viola, but predictable in the PCUSA today. May the Lord bless your congregation as you move on.
Donnie Bob – you need to be open to the fact that your entire story could be turned around and would fit also the thoughts and feelings of those who are remaining as a PCUSA congregation. Why should the majority be top dog – what about the first being last and the last first, this is the kingdom…
What size group are being called a healthy group. I notice they called in people who had left to come back to join up with this group.
What are the percentages here? Will the session be given a chance to speak to the Presbytery and why don’t they have more power?
There are many, many churches in other Presbyteries in similar situations, waiting for a decision when the majority is affirmative to leave the PCUSA.
Mine is one…..so concerned this may be a new trend.
Viola, maybe you can speak to these questions. Praying for God to guide you in this troubling time.
L. Lee,
there were 268 possible votes. 186 voted yes. 32 voted no. 40 did not vote and no matter the circumstances they counted for no, that is a part of Sacramento presbytery’s new dismissal policy. We are hoping the session will be given a chance to speak to the COM who supposedly agreed to the PET’s request for a administrative commission. The healthy group is allowed to be any size.
Not to throw water on the decisions which brought the motion to the floor, and I am loath to defend the current process, but if 72 out of 268 possible either voted no, or put another way, did not choose to affirm the majority, you are talking close to 27% of the eligible electors voting not to affirm the new affiliation or the process to that point.
In any circumstances that would be extremely problematic to process though. For example, in voting on a new pastor or affirming the process of the PNC, If close to 30% present do not vote to affirm that call or hire the pastor the call would not go through any system, PCUSA. PCA, EPC ,etc. To force the pastor into that call given the vote would be a disaster for all concerned. You would go back and start over. Even more than that is on the line when it comes to denominational affiliation.
My comments on the whole ‘gracious dismissal” policy remains and the PCUSA does not get off the hook, but it seems the majority has some work to do, to really process this though to a successful conclusion.
Peter, you have to understand that at least 40, those who did not vote, but whose non-vote were counted as a no, were people who had already left or moved away, or college students who could not come home, etc.
According to the figures provided here, there was a 78% participation rate in the congregational vote, and of those who voted, 85% voted in favor of dismissal. These are astronomically high percentages when compared to what is required by other presbyteries in similar situations. And yet, despite these overwhelming numbers, this presbytery is preparing to award all of the assets of this church to the 15% who voted against dismissal, and put everyone else on the street.
The PCUSA babbled on incessantly about “justice.” What a crock! Through the microcosm of this one small church in California anyone with functioning eyes can see clearly what the PCUSA means by the term “justice.” George Orwell would have understood completely.
…or justice in the Kingdom, just does not look like majority rule? No one has to leave – they are choosing to leave based on, what I would say, are false accusations and slander about the PCUSA. The Presbytery believes there is support for a PCUSA congregation and witness (moderate/progressive Christians) at this site, why should they not seek to support that and maintain a presence here? The folks who wanted to have the congregation dismissed with property knew this is a possibility, its plain as day in our constitution, they chose this path and now need to come to terms that this is where things are and decide where they want to be.
That is a helpful clarification.
You need to be open to the fact that when a Presbytery makes a promise through a “gracious separation policy” and then changes the rules during the process and then renegs on that policy that Presbytery is acting in a contemptible manner. To attempt to explain that away, or to excuse that lack of integrity throws you into the same sinking boat as the Presbytery. To quote scripture to try to excuse the behavior is akin to blasphemy. Does scripture not also tell us to let our yes be yes and our no be no? Doesn’t scripture say “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”? Sadly the light has gone out in the PCUSA.