By voice vote, General Assembly disapproves church property overtures
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman, July 5, 2012
]]>
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – By a voice vote, the 220th General Assembly decided not approve two overtures that would have made it easier for congregations to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) over theological differences.
Overtures 06-06 from Stockton Presbytery and 06-07 from Santa Barbara Presbytery both proposed that when there is a theological difference between a congregation and the presbytery, the property would revert to the congregation.
While the property would remain under the trust clause, it would be held on behalf of the congregation, not the denomination. The congregation must meet certain requirements, including:
- a 2/3 vote of the congregation for it to be able to take its property and leave the PCUSA
- all financial obligations must be resolved by the church before it could leave
- immunization for the presbytery and the congregation from civil lawsuits
Committee Moderator Emily Anderson of East Tennessee Presbytery said, in part, the reason for disapproval recommendation was that “the church is more than a building. We all know that.”
She continued that in almost every sense, church property represents the hopes and dreams of generations that there would be a Presbyterian presence in those cities. “We honor them by honoring the work they have done,” she said.
Jeff Garrison, of Lake Michigan Presbyterian, proposed a substitute motion to the committee’s recommendation to disapprove, which was much like the original overtures, but increased the hurdles a congregation would have to go over, including:
- a 3/4 majority vote required to leave the PCUSA and be dismissed into another Reformed body
- two congregational meetings with presbytery involvement
- a quorum of at least 50 percent of the active congregants present for the vote
- all financial obligations to the presbytery and PCUSA must be fulfilled
“On Monday, we heard from Brian McLaren,” Garrison told the commissioner, and he paraphrased Jesus saying “If you seek to save your power, you will lose it. I think that is sound advice.”
“I hope that we could be more gracious of one another – letting go of power, letting go of the big stick,” he said, adding that it may reduce the tension in the denomination.
A commissioner from the Twin Cities asked if the substitute motion was in order – since it mentioned voting to leave at a congregational meeting and that according to the Book of Order that was not a reason a congregation could hold a meeting.
After the suspended debate on the matter, until the Advisory Committee on the Constitution and Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons could confer over the language, Parsons advised GA Moderator Neal Presa that “this is out of order.”
Presa followed Parson’s advice, ruled the substitute motion out of order and then debate continued on the original motion to disapprove the overtures.