Sunday, (11/1/15) First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio voted by 87 percent to disaffiliate from the Presbyterian Church (USA).
According to information on the church web site, 1,072, of the church’s 2,202 members — 48.6 percent of the membership — attended the congregational meeting.
There were 929 votes (87.3 percent) in favor of the motion to “voluntarily terminate its association” with the PCUSA and 135 votes (12.7 percent) against the motion.
According to the San Antonio Express News, when he announced the vote results, the Rev. Ron Scates, interim pastor of the church, requested that there be no applause, and then lead the church in prayer.
“The healing and reconciliation must begin,” the paper quoted him as saying.
The recommendation to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians was approved by a vote of 904-152, or by 85.6 percent.
A third vote was also taken to reaffirm and ratify its current leadership who wanted to remain with the church. It was approved by a vote of 942-116, or by 89 percent.
Related links
FPC-San Antonio schedules disaffiliation vote; Anonymous group urges church to vote ‘No’
Presbytery appoints Administrative Commission, despite assuring judge it would not
From the Midwest to Texas, churches continue to realign among Presbyterian denominations
Ron Scates accused of violating ordination vows
Denomination grapples with First Presbyterian over leaders’ push to leave (subscription required)
13 Comments. Leave new
It would appear that the fears that one individual posted previously regarding this vote, that only a minimum quorum and a slim majority would decide this congregation’s denominational affiliation, were unrealized.
Talk about a supermajority! So much for the accusations of rabble rousing and manipulation. That was an amazing turnout and margin!
FPCSA had little choice in this case with a presbytery who flat out lied to the judge. When presbyteries change the rules as they damn well please and then with a straight face call for unity, I see a lot more of this coming from churches wanting to leave the PCUSA.
I’m already reading comments from the pro PCUSA side of the argument that with 49% of the congregation voting and an 87.3% vote to leave the denomination that the “minority” made the decision for the church. In any political race the results would be called a landslide. Someone needs to take a remedial math course (or brush up on statistics).
After threats from Mission Presbytery to defrock our pastors and to unseat our session leaders of the church wisely had a police presence at the church yesterday to insure that the election wouldn’t be impacted by outside forces. At least one in the pro-PCUSA crowd wondered whether security was there to “influence” voting.
The most vocal pro-PCUSA person at the meeting joined the church less than three weeks ago. A plant? Probably.
Glad we’re out. As one speaker said “I’d rather be a member of a denomination that works with us instead of against us.”
The National Leaders of this denomination and the GA created “local option” and put the battles at the door of the churches. It is a somber time for all, because now decisions must be made by members to “choose this day whom we will serve” ….the Same choice that leaders have had to make even in Old Testament times. The sleeping members can no longer be complacent. A survey put out by OGA and Heath Radda will not stop
the move of the Holy Spirit to affect the members and changes that are coming. FPCSA is only one example. There is no applause or celebration
because this choice and vote HAD to happen…….because we must seek Christ and His way first. All the decisions of GA up to this point brought us to our knees…….God allowed it so that we would wake up out of our complacency. The leadership is being put on local pastors and sessions now to “shepherd” your people in God’s way. Pray for our pastors! Keep on your knees people!
Pray for the many other churches in discernment now……that whether they stay or go, God’s work would be done for the people’s sake.
That is the message from this event of FPCSA.
SO happy for the members of FPCSA….my local church would not take this step for fear of losing the building so I left after 25 years. It is so hard to leave so many friends – but we remain friends while just worshiping in different churches. I am thrilled beyond words to no longer have to feel shame when asked what denomination I was part of and I know the FPC folks will understand that feeling as well.
Then I guess maybe we should pray for eachother….
Don’t what else it could be other than a “God thing”. I’m pretty sure that the church is Christ’s bride. So there really aren’t any other alternatives.
I don’t think there aren’t any other alternatives. It’s not a gun control thing or an immigration thing or an abortion thing or an occupy wall street thing. It’s not an Israel/Palestine thing or a drone thing, a fossil fuel thing or a bullet registration thing. The thing is, it’s about a Man who died on a cross and saved the world. That’s the WHOLE thing.
Here is a good overview: http://www.charismanews.com/us/53017-megachurch-leaves-this-denomination-over-apostasy
To put the vote in perspective: in the 2008 US presidential election, 131,000,000 of Americans voted–43% of the population. President Obama was elected with 53% of the vote. FPC SA, with 48.6% voting and an 87.3% approval, is a far greater mandate than our current president received. (I’m making no inferences politically, just comparing #s)
You of voyrse recall that it was also by a majority just 3 years ago that mostly the same congregation voted to stay. It took the import of a self righteous extremist interim pastor to complete this mutiny. What had changed for them? Nothing, nothing they had to do or become or be required to participate. Unless you count perhaps the opportunity to exercise how Jesus said we should live a little bit.
I recall well when Texas gubberment wanted a lottery and the people said NO by a vast majority. They repackaged it all and slickly sold their points and again the people said no! They simply kept up their misrepresentations until they had fooled enough of the voters to get it passed. In the months follwing it’s implementation, repossessions soared for poor people who wanted to get rich quick. They made it look fun and easy on their TV ads. The folks in charge didn’t track or promote that though. It was legalized gambling, it was against the ways of God and it hurt those who could least afford it. GREAT VICTORY……RIGHT?
How soon before the women in this congregation are required to stay quiet in church and cover their heads? A few other ignored rules from that same good book you choose to uphold to persecute homosexual persons that also just want to love and worship God in fellowship. And no! They’re not interested in having sex with straight people or children as is so often twisted around and feared by the insecure, arrogant and ignorant.
Shame on all of you and them for not just practicing what the Lord Jesus said. You choose to put your wishes and will before his.
Correction: Three years ago the Session decided not to hold a congregational vote on denominational change. As a result, one-third of the congregation left the church. Having seen how staying in PCUSA was causing the church to lose members (especially young families) and having seen how Texas courts have been ruling on property, the Session no doubt saw this as the opportunity to let the congregation decide what denomination they wanted to be a part of. By a huge margin, they decided.