Lay pastor-led church
leaves Redstone Presbytery
The Layman, February 17, 2009
A congregation in Bolivar, Pa., has quietly slipped out of Redstone Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church (USA) to affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The congregation, which was established as a Presbyterian church in 1801, voted 58-2 on Jan. 28 to make the change. It is now named Fort Palmer Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Jim Tomb, who has served as lay pastor of the congregation for 13 years, said that after the vote he quickly notified the presbytery of the congregation’s decision. Subsequently, the presbytery held a called meeting to consider its response. It voted to have an administrative commission address the matter. The appointment of the members of the commission is under way.
Gary Close, stated clerk of the presbytery, told The Layman that the presbytery “did not limit the scope of the authority” that the commission members will have. The Book of Order allows presbyteries to give administrative commissions’ broad authority – including taking over church property, removing the session and pastor and becoming the governing body of the congregation.
Close expressed dissatisfaction that “Fort Palmer chose to bypass all of the steps” the presbytery has adopted to respond to congregations that are considering leaving the denomination. The presbytery and denomination do not recognize congregational votes to leave the PCUSA. Instead, they ask congregations to ask the presbytery to consider a request for dismissal, a process that can take months – or even more than a year.
No litigation has begun, Tomb said, but that is possible, depending on the presbytery’s actions.
The 160-member congregation has employed a lawyer, Andrea Geraughty of Pittsbugh, who is experienced in church property law.
Tomb said the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has already accepted Fort Palmer as a member. Furthermore, he said EPC leaders have agreed to recognize his role as a lay minister. Tomb was once a minister, but left the ministry to embark on other careers, including a stint as a charter pilot.
He said he believes the congregation has an excellent chance of retaining is property. He referred to the original hand-written, 1801 deed, which includes no reference to the denomination. He also said Pennsylvania state law that allows any charitable organization to disaffiliate from its institutional relationship.