Administrative commission gets original jurisdiction over church that narrowly voted to stay in PCUSA
By Patrick Jean, The Layman Online, October 29, 2007
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – The Presbytery of Western North Carolina has given an administrative commission original jurisdiction over a church that narrowly voted not to request dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
About the parties
First Presbyterian Church in Waynesville, N.C., was founded in 1875. It has 173 members, according to the administrative commission’s report.
The Presbytery of Western North Carolina is comprised of 115 congregations with more than 20,000 members. Its headquarters is in Morganton, N.C. Presbytery commissioners, by unanimous voice vote at their stated meeting Oct. 26 in Lake Junaluska, approved the administrative commission’s original-jurisdiction powers over First Presbyterian Church in Waynesville, N.C.
Original jurisdiction means the presbytery determined that the church’s session “cannot exercise its authority” and “is unable or unwilling to manage wisely the affairs of its church,” according to clause G-11.0103(s) in the PCUSA’s Book of Order. The administrative commission is granted the powers of the church’s session.
The administrative commission also was granted the right to “delegate to selected elders in that congregation some of the responsibilities of the session (G-10.0102), subject to the general oversight of the commission.”
“We feel very good about doing that,” said the Rev. Dr. J. Layton Mauze III, chairman of the administrative commission. “We feel very good about where this congregation is now, and the leadership that is in this congregation during the transition.”
‘Rising to the occasion’
The eight-member commission was appointed immediately after the Waynesville church’s congregational vote Sept. 23 on leaving the PCUSA for the EPC. The effort failed on a 68-65 vote.
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Josh Cole, resigned after the congregational vote. So did five of the church’s seven session members, as well as the church treasurer.
Cole began a start-up EPC church in Waynesville the Sunday after the vote, taking 46 members of the Waynesville PCUSA congregation with him, the administrative commission’s report stated. Mauze estimated 60 to 70 Waynesville PCUSA worshipers eventually will go to the EPC church.
But that doesn’t mean the PCUSA is dying in Waynesville, Mauze told presbytery commissioners in presenting the administrative commission’s report.
“The members of that congregation who are left are not only very committed to Jesus Christ, but are very faithful and loyal to the church,” he said. “And they are rising to the occasion to provide leadership and guidance to that congregation in this time of transition.”
Two elders who weren’t serving on the session at the time of the vote became involved with the administrative commission, Mauze said. They were asked to suggest three other elders to serve as elder advisory members on the administrative commission, and those three will meet with the commission from now on, he said.
The administrative commission wanted to work closely with the remaining leadership of the church, Mauze said. “We have been very much impressed by that congregation and the leadership in that congregation,” he said.
‘Still active and vital’
Mauze asked Beth Galloway, one of the Waynesville church’s two remaining session members (the other is Bob Lassiter), to address presbytery commissioners. She told them that several people who would go on to serve on the administrative commission were at her church’s vote Sept. 23.
“We knew that no matter what the outcome of the vote, there would be guidance and people there who would be able to help and guide us in the future,” she said.
The administrative commission’s original-jurisdiction powers are in the spirit of helping the church move forward, Galloway said. “They were not trying to take over our church,” she said. “The commission pointed out the next steps for us to take and have our church organized and vital.”
The church will vote Nov. 4 on a nominating committee to determine a full slate of elders, with plans to select a permanent session by December and that session taking office in January, Galloway said. A search committee is looking for an interim pastor, the church will be a regional collection point for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes and also will host Waynesville’s community Thanksgiving service.
“We’re not going to be a dying church,” she said. “The little church on the corner of Main and Walnut has been badly hurt, but it is still active and vital and full of the worship of the Lord.”
Full text of report
Here is the full text of the administrative commission’s report to the presbytery:
“At a congregational meeting of the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesville, N.C., held on Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007, the congregation met to vote on the question, ‘Shall the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesville request presbytery to dismiss it to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?’ The vote failed by a vote of 68-65 of the 173 members of the church.
“As a result of that meeting, and because the congregation failed to obtain a 75 percent vote as required by presbytery, an administrative commission was appointed by the chair of the coordinating council, the chair of the committee on ministry and the general presbyter, acting together pursuant to the Book of Order [clauses] G-9.0503-5, to attempt to bring pastoral healing and reconciliation to that congregation on the understanding that this commission may, if it deems it best for the peace of this part of Christ’s Church, assume original jurisdiction pursuant to Book of Order [clause] G-11.0103(s), with whatever responsibilities and powers of the session (Book of Order [clause] G-10.0102) it deems appropriate.
“Members of the commission are: Dr. J. Layton Mauze III, chair; Mike Begley; Calvin Chesnutt; Riley Colvin; Pat Green; Jane Hansel; John Lindsay; and Barbara Phillips. The commission has met on two separate occasions: Sunday, Sept. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 4. At the first meeting, the commission was prepared for its task by the stated clerk, and issues and concerns were identified that needed to be addressed. At the second meeting, the commission met with the session to begin that process.
“Following the congregational meeting on Sept. 23, the pastor of the church submitted his resignation. Also resigning from their positions of leadership in the life of the church were the church treasurer and five of the seven elders on the church session. On Monday, Sept. 24, 46 members of the congregation decided to leave the church and met for the purpose of establishing a new Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Haywood County. They began to have Sunday school and worship services the following Sunday on Sept. 30, meeting at the Regional High Tech Center.
“After the two meetings of the commission, and in consultation with the two remaining elders on the session, and after much prayerful consideration:
“The administrative commission for the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesville, N.C., respectfully requests that the presbytery authorize it to assume original jurisdiction over the Waynesville congregation, pursuant to the Book of Order (G-11.0103(s)), with the right to delegate to selected elders in that congregation some of the responsibilities of the session (G-10.0102), subject to the general oversight of the commission.
“We are continually grateful to God for the many leaders and members of this congregation who have worked very diligently and been so faithful during this time of confusion and conflict in the life of the church. We ask presbytery to continue to pray for this congregation, and to surround its members with our love and support.
“Our general presbyter, Bobbi White, in a recent letter written to the Montreat Presbyterian Church, has said it so beautifully and profoundly:
“‘It is indeed in times of change and uncertainty that the promise of our Lord, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” breathes into us both a sense of calm and a quickening for a renewed challenge. As a body of believers that has come through the pain of separation, this body of believers is poised for the challenge that lies ahead, strengthened by the presence and gifts of her sister congregations throughout Western North Carolina Presbytery.’
“As members of the administrative commission for the Waynesville church who have committed ourselves to bring healing and reconciliation to the life of that congregation, we believe that these words apply to the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesville, also.
“Dr. J. Layton Mauze III
“Chair, Administrative Commission”
Patrick Jean is a staff writer for The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at pjean@www.layman.org.