On Monday, (5-23-16), the session of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church (MDPC) in Houston, Texas voted 47-8 (85% to 15%) to disaffiliate from the Presbyterian Church (USA).
The session will now ask the Presbytery of New Covenant to dismiss the church to ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians at its July presbytery meeting.
Just last month, the MDPC settled a lawsuit it had filed against the presbytery, which asked the civil court to reaffirm that the church, itself, owns its property as “supported by established law in Texas.” The church agreed to pay the presbytery $950,000, while the presbytery agreed to release “any interest in MDPC’s property,” and also stated that it will not take any disciplinary action against MDPC’s pastors, elders, staff, trustees or session.
A letter (click “The results of the MDPC session vote) signed by Senior Pastor Alf Halvorson and Clerk of Session Jere Overdyke called the vote “a significant decision, and one not entered into lightly, but only after months (years, really) of dialogue and discernment.”
“Know that a main reason for making this move is so MDPC can stay the course regarding our core foundational principles: devoted to radical generosity, committed to outreach through dollar-for-dollar, faithful to daily prayer for members and mission partners, and energized by Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20,” the letter read.
The session voted on the matter only after it have evaluated an opinion survey of the congregation conducted by a Houston-area polling firm ReconMR, which showed that 79 percent of the congregation was in favor of affiliating with ECO.
Of the 1,168 people surveyed, 921 (78.85 percent) expressed support for ECO, while 247 (21.15 percent) showed support for the PCUSA.
Addressing both sides of the vote, the letter said:
“For those who agree with the strong majority of the congregation and session on affiliation with ECO, this is a time to humbly recommit to Christ’s work through MDPC using our time, talent, and treasure. And for those who are disappointed with this decision, I have always been counseled by mentors to pause in the wake of real grief. Remember that this move to ECO requires nothing additional in the way of confessional allegiance or prescription. ECO has the exact same theology and polity as The Fellowship of Presbyterians within PCUSA (which MDPC has been a part of for several years). You have my commitment that all voices will continue to be valued, and that we will seek further ways to be welcoming to all. In this spirit, I’ve asked Pastor Rick Myers to organize reconciliation opportunities to light our congregation’s path as we move forward faithfully.”
MDPC’s discernment team was made up of three individuals who wanted to stay in the PCUSA; three who wanted to leave the PCUSA; four who were undecided; Halvorson and Paul Nazarian, a representative of the presbytery. The discernment team agreed that it “represented the demographics of MDPC and the various positions around discernment. We talked, wrestled, studied, resolved differences, and earnestly attempted to provide a process and factual information to the congregation so informed decisions could be made.”
The 3,461-member Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church began discerning its future in the PCUSA in early 2015, when the congregation voted 839-277 to enter the presbytery’s discernment process. However, the church was searching for a new pastor at the time, and put the process on hold until a new pastor was called. In August of 2015, the Halvorson became the senior pastor and during the first two months of 2016, the church leadership began meeting with representatives from the presbytery and exchanged four proposals.
23 Comments. Leave new
God Bless MDPC on their new journey, hoprfully in the future FPC Houston will follow suite.
So, an opinion poll instead of an actual vote by the congregation? That’s a process?
We pray FPC Houston will follow suit, “tout de suite.”
As a practical matter, what happens if New Covenant refuses to dismiss them?
I caught that after I hit submit, touché, I’ll use accordingly next time. 🙂
Scott, thats what the opinion poll was for, and then the session evaluated the poll and voted, hopefully FPC Houston will do the same thing soon. 🙂
Scott, you might be surprised to know that a number of Presbyteries do not let congregations seeking dismissal have a meeting and take a vote, but do a poll of members. This is nothing new.
As a practical matter, New Covenant won’t refuse to dismiss, because they don’t want to see this end up in the Texas courts, which haven’t proven very friendly to unilaterally-imposed trust clauses on congregations’ property. New Covenant will negotiate in good faith, because that’s practically the only way in which they can reach a monetary settlement with a departing congregation.
I really don’t see this happening with the settlement of the lawsuit. The Presbytery really can’t afford to do anything to lose the $700,000 from MDPC when they have already lost the $300,000 annual amount that MDPC used to give them. The Presbytery has no leverage against MDPC so there is no reason to refuse dismissal.
Sorry should be $750,000, not $700,000. $700,000 is the amount that the Presbytery is getting from First Pres.
There is no honest way FPC can follow suit in a similar manner given their earlier statements.
GA-PJC review of Presbytery of New Covenant’s (PNC) original Gracious Reconciliation and Dismissal Procedure (GRDP), adopted in 2011, called for revision to eliminate a vote of the congregation to determine the question of dismissal. Rationale for the required change to the GRDP was that requesting dismissal from PC(USA) is not one of the allowable functions of a Congregational Meeting as enumerated in the Book of Order G-1.0503.
The resulting GRDP adopted in 2015 places the authority to ask for dismissal solely with the Session. There is a provision in the new GRDP to conduct an advisory vote by the congregation that is not binding upon the session.
Ironically, this prescription by the GA is is probably more favorable to those seeking dismissal since it will always be the Session to initiate process with a number of the congregants unaware of the issues which are leading many churches to seek dismissal. Certainly in the case of the original PNC GRDP the required congregational vote hurtle of a 2/3 supermajority was problematic as was seen at FPC Houston.
This is settled, the presbytery got money, and MDPC and FPC Houston, got clear title to their property that the presbytery never paid for, it’s over Scott, now get over it.
Another grab for the almighty dollar! The PCUSA is a sick puppy. Sad, sad for all.
Thanks for providing this very accurate summary, Walter. Need to educate people on this change.
Wanna bet?
A previous Session can not bind a current Session, just like a previous General Assembly can not bind a current General Assembly. A previous Congress can not bind the Current Congress and a previous Parliament of Westminster can not bind a current Parliament of Westminster. To get to the crazy state the PCUSA is in now, lots of things put in place by pervious General Assemblies had to get repealed………….
They can take my $950,000 but they can’t take my freedom!
Ever read the Book of Order of PCUSA?
The late Charlie Shedd, who founded this church many years ago, is turning in his grave. I am sad for this great church as they leave the PCUSA. Truly sad.
Thank you, Walter, for an accurate and cool-headed explanation of that. It’s crazy news for me to hear about, especially long-distance. I didn’t know about some of these processes, including the lawsuit. I’m just kind of stunned at the moment.
Maybe he’s happy about it. PCUSA is very different now from what PCUS was in 1955.
I said no honest way, not no legal way.