By Alva James-Johnson, The Ledger-Enquirer (Georgia).
A new church that formed in the aftermath of a controversial vote at First Presbyterian Church of Columbus is now officially part of another denomination.
Anna Kent, director of Mission Affinity Groups for the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, said leaders of the denomination voted last week to accept Grace Presbyterian Church of Columbus as an official church plant.
Kent, who resides in Huntsville, Ala., came to Columbus a week ago to commission leaders of the new congregation to lead out in ministry until they elect a session, which is the traditional leadership structure within Presbyterian churches. Kent said ECO has been impressed with the progress Grace Presbyterian has made in just a few weeks.
“I think that the leadership team was very well organized, they moved very quickly and the Lord seemed to open lots of doors that made it possible,” she said. “I think the church planting team felt they had enough of the proper steps in place to come on board to ECO and they were the right kind of fit with our essential tenants and the understanding of our polity and really, most importantly, being a part of what God is calling them to do as a new church.”
Grace Presbyterian began holding worship services at a local synagogue on April 26, a week after members of First Presbyterian defeated a resolution to split from the Presbyterian Church (USA), which has become more liberal concerning same-sex marriage and other doctrinal issues.
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Let us hope that this new church will: 1. Worship and praise God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit 2. Build up and nurture the Body of Christ 3. Study, learn, and know God’s Word 4. Do mission work–locally, nationally, and globally 5. Give freely and with great joy–time, talents, and treasurers 6. Share the good news of the Gospel with a hungry world 7. Dream dreams and see visions of what God would have them do 8. Be a spiritual beacon within their communities.
My apologies for keeping to hang around this forum. As a former, I was simply fascinated at the prospect of discovering and learning about the events leading to this current situation, and determined to investigate the root causes of the split.
With the help of these contributors and others, I have come a long way in reaching that understanding, so much so that I could simply say, “Adios and Gracias,” and mean it. But the human drama unfolding is so interesting.
Never a dull moment. I am happy in my new non denominational, as the prospect of spending the remaining years of my walk with the Christ bickering over issues seeming contrived to elicit that very effect caused the vote with my feet.
But, I mean, really, could you make this up? The members of a Huntsville, Alabama Presbyterian church became weary of the constant harassment of scriptural sexual ethics so they voted to split. They now meet in a local Synagogue.
I mean, really…come on.