Indianapolis church
dismissed from PCUSA
By Edward Terry, The Layman, June 4, 2010
One of the largest churches in Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Presbytery has been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA), and plans to affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC).
The 1,200-member Southport Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis voted in late 2009 to leave the PCUSA based on concerns over the direction of the denomination, namely the deviation from core beliefs and basic essentials of faith, including weakening stances on the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of Scripture.
The negotiated settlement, which was approved at Whitewater Valley’s June 2 meeting by a 200-6 vote, includes:
- The two-campus, 1,200-member congregation being dismissed to the EPC with its physical property.
- Southport will pay a lump sum of $330,582.10 to Whitewater Valley Presbytery by Dec. 31, 2010. The settlement payment includes $165,582.10 in per capita payments for 2009-2013, $105,000 for basic PCUSA mission support from 2010 to 2012 and $60,000 in
Southport Presbyterian Church
The McFarland Boulevard site is home to the administrative offices and several of the congregation’s outreach programs.
support for Hispanic ministries, Camp Pyoca and Westminster Ministries.
- Southport will pay for Whitewater Valley counsel’s costs and fees to complete the dismissal process.
The dismissal process officially began in early 2009 when the 175-year-old Southport congregation announced its desire to leave the denomination, but was preceded by two years of prayer, discernment, research and discussion. Over the last 15 months, Southport leadership hosted listening groups and provided resources to its members.
In November 2009, the congregation voted 786-37 to seek dismissal from the PCUSA and to affiliate with the EPC. The presbytery voted in December 2009 to proceed with the dismissal process, and representatives of Whitewater Valley and Southport negotiated a settlement.
Southport Communications Director Greg Torrison said the church still is working through the details, but is now gearing up for its affiliation with the EPC.
“We’ll certainly be talking about it in worship services this Sunday,” he said. “Our hope and plans are to have a celebration service toward the end of the month.”
Torrison said he anticipates Southport being received into the EPC this summer. Southport pastors Kevin Bausman and June Barrow also will seek ordination in the EPC, he added.
According to PCUSA Research Services, Southport ranked in the top 10 for Whitewater Presbytery in mission expenditures, top 11 in per member giving and top 5 for total receipts from 1999-2008. The report also shows a total decline in membership from 2002 to 2008 of approximately 8.5 percent, and a 14 percent drop in worship attendance. In both categories, the percentages for Southport were better than a majority of Whitewater Valley’s congregations.
In its rationale for leaving the PCUSA, Southport’s session expressed concern over the direction of the denomination, including actions that contradict Holy Scripture and a confrontational approach toward congregations desiring separation from the denomination.
“Through a period of discernment, God has led us to see that the PCUSA has departed from our understanding and recognition of the historical confessional standards of the church, the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ, the unquestionable sole means of salvation for the world through Him and the recognition of the infallible authority of God’s Word in all matters of faith and life,” the session’s statement said. “Therefore, as elders chosen by the people to ‘exercise leadership, government and discipline and have responsibilities for the life of a particular church,’ (G-6.0302), we recommend that SPC seek dismissal from the PCUSA.”