Pro-gay church explores leaving PCUSA for more liberal UCC
The Layman, September 23, 2011
A California church is considering leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA) for a denomination largely considered to be more liberal.
As far back as July, the congregation of West Hollywood Presbyterian Church (WHPC) has engaged in dialogue about the possibility of transferring to the United Church of Christ (UCC).
Like the PCUSA, the UCC is an amalgamation of two denominations, the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches. The two bodies united in 1957 to form the UCC; however local churches retain control of its property and are not subject to hierarchical authority of any kind.
Unlike most churches that have recently considered or completed dismissal from the PCUSA, WHPC doesn’t appear to be making the move in theological opposition to the denomination’s recent deletion of explicit chastity and fidelity ordination standards from its constitution.
The deletion, which would allow presbyteries to ordain gay candidates and those engaged in same-sex relationships, has led many congregations to leave the PCUSA, citing theological disagreements with the new ordination standards.
In the case of WHPC, the church is “intentionally inclusive of gender, race, ability, age, sexual orientation, economic condition and theological background,” according to its statement of beliefs.
“We are a church in the process of transforming and changing ‘first century language, metaphors and beliefs’ about God and ourselves into ones that are contemporary and relevant to our time and place in history,” the statement further reads. “We are committed to using language for God and for the entire human family that celebrates God as fully inclusive of … people of … all sexual orientations.”
According to the church’s pastor, Rev. Daniel Smith, “What has been referred to in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures as homosexuality has no similarity to what we know about sexual orientation or ‘homosexuality’ today. Plain and simple. It’s like comparing apples and oranges.”
According to an online description of the UCC, the denomination has “historically favored liberal views on social issues, such as civil rights, gay rights, women’s rights and abortion rights.”
UCC churches have sanctified same-sex unions and, according to a survey, 80 percent of its general synod delegates support same-sex marriages.
In 2005, the UCC became one of the first national-level bodies to support “equal marriage rights for all people, regardless of gender.”
President Barack Obama, a UCC member, created controversy when, as a presidential candidate, he spoke to the UCC’s General Synod meeting. The speech drew fire as many claimed the denomination should lose its tax-free status by allowing a political candidate to address an official meeting.
According to its website, WHPC has scheduled a series of “UCC (United Church of Christ) Discernment Sundays.” On Nov. 6, the Rev. Felix Villanueva will preach at WHPC and answer questions from members about the UCC. He is the conference minister for the UCC’s Southern California-Nevada Conference – roughly equivalent to a synod.
On Nov. 20, the church will vote to either remain a PCUSA congregation or ask the Presbytery of the Pacific for gracious dismissal to the UCC.
A request for comment from WHPC has not been answered as of Thursday but is expected to be later today. According to UCC News (Communications) Director Gregg Brekke, the denomination does not track how many churches transfer from specific denominations.
The UCC has experienced a 44-percent loss in membership since the mid-1960s. Currently, the denomination has about 1.1 million members and about 5,000 local congregations – down from 2 million members and 7,000 churches in 1957.
The UCC received $29.3 million in support from congregations in 2010, according to the UCC’s annual report.
The Southern California-Nevada Conference received $533,031.