By Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post.
A congregation in Georgia that voted overwhelmingly to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) is being prevented from disaffiliating from the Mainline Protestant denomination, according to one church leader.
Central Presbyterian Church in Athens voted Sunday to leave the PCUSA for a more conservative denomination with the final tally being 159 in favor and 36 opposed.
The PCUSA’s Northeast Georgia Presbytery, which Central Presbyterian Church belonged to, does not recognize the validity of the congregational vote, however.
Jeffrey Dorfman, treasurer for Central Presbyterian Church, told The Christian Post that presbytery officials not only “don’t care about our vote” but also “did everything in their power (and things far beyond their power) to try to block the vote.”
“They are now trying to remove our pastor for allowing a vote on dismissal with property while moderating the congregational meeting we held this past Sunday,” asserted Dorfman.
“Thus, I do not expect an easy road in getting presbytery to approve dismissal with our property. We certainly hope to avoid legal action and believe Christians should settle our differences outside of the legal system.”
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“We certainly hope to avoid legal action and believe Christians should settle our differences outside of the legal system.” If the church follows that course they will come in one day and find the locks changed, the session removed and a new pastor installed. Central Pres needs an injunction against presbytery at once. “If you treat someone like a gentleman who is not a gentleman they will do you dirty every time,” ie presbytery.
OK – here is a “church treasurer” giving an interview to the so called “Christian” Post about a dismissal schism? – based on just that fact, I am so sure that Presbytery needed to act. Guarantee there is funny business going on when your treasurer is such a vocal proponent of taking the property of a smaller group who wants to remain affiliated with the PCUSA.
The treasurer is usually a voting member of the session or trustees. If the leadership wishes to talk with the press (I might agree that it isn’t a good idea), then any such person would do. They aren’t “taking property away of a smaller group”. That is not the presbytery interpretation, nor is it by those who wish to leave.