By Lee Shearer, Online Athens. (Georgia)
After a months-long quiet period, an Athens church’s move to secede from its denomination could be headed toward resolution.
An administrative committee of the Northeast Georgia Presbytery scheduled two meetings this month with the congregation of Central Presbyterian Church, whose congregation earlier this year voted to leave the country’s mainstream Presbyterian denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA).
At the first meeting on Thursday, those who attended heard a presentation on the work of the denomination, followed by a survey which included the question of remaining with the PCUSA denomination or affiliating with the more conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, or ECO.
“The survey is non-binding and is meant to give the Administrative Commission a sense of the membership concerning the question of leaving the PCUSA denomination,” according to a notice on the Central Presbyterian website.
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With all due respect, the article is entirely misleading. One would read the title, and assume a decision is near. That is not the case. This congregation took a vote, and did so while refusing to follow clear procedures and guidelines for so doing. Hence, the vote was declared invalid. The author was correct in stating that there was a “cooling off period”. This was due to the vote having been declared invalid. If the leaders of this congregation wish to follow the correct procedures, they can proceed. If they reach the appropriate perfentage, they will be dismissed. Having known several (now former) members of this church, there was also a considerable amount of bullying that took place by those seeking to leave the denomination. I hope and pray that the leaders of this congregation will begin to act with integrity, honesty, and grace.