Pastors of large congregations ready ‘for redefinition’ of unity
The Layman Online, April 19, 2006
Thirty-five Presbyterian ministers of some of the largest congregations in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have issued a statement about “our deep concern for the most troubling implication of the Peace, Unity and Purity Task Force report – the adoption of a new Authoritative Interpretation regarding standards for ordination creating ‘local option.'”
They also said they “grieve the continuing decline of our denomination on multiple levels. Something is deeply flawed at the core.”
They said they are “longing to retain our unity,” but added, “we are ready for a redefinition of that unity and the structural realities that hold us together. God help us.”
While saying they were “speaking only for ourselves,” the group clearly was an expression by ministers distinctive because of the size of their congregations, which average nearly 3,000 members. Ten of the ministers serve congregations that are among the 15 largest congregations in the PCUSA, according to the denomination’s 2004 Comparative Statistics.
The complete text of their statement:
- “As we grow nearer to the time of the General Assembly, we the undersigned pastors, speaking only for ourselves, express our deep concern for the most troubling implication of the Peace, Unity, and Purity Task Force report – the adoption of a new Authoritative Interpretation regarding standards for ordination creating “local option.” Further, we grieve the continuing decline of our denomination on multiple levels. Something is deeply flawed at the core. We yearn and pray for a new day for the PCUSA. While longing to retain our unity, we are ready for a redefinition of that unity and the structural realities that hold us together. God help us.”
The signatories, their congregations and membership as reported by the Presbyterian Church (USA):
MinisterCongregation2004 mbrs.Jerry Andrews First Presbyterian Church, Glen Ellyn, IL 1,283Hubert Auburn Bay Village Presbyterian, Bay Village, OH 2,316Peter Barnes First Presbyterian Church, Boulder, CO 2,297David Berry First Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2,744Joe Bettridge St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Tuscon, AZ 1,398Mark Brewer Belair Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, CA 2,092Jim Capps Southport Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis, IN 1,494John Crosby Christ Presbyterian Church, Edina, MN 4,297Bill Dudley Signal Mountain Presbyterian, Signal Mountain, TN 1,892Scott Dudley First Presbyterian Church, Bellevue, WA 2,647Rob Eyman Whitworth Community PC, Spokane, WA 913Scott Farmer Community Presbyterian Church, Danville, CA 2,495Doug Ferguson Grace Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX 4,438Doug Fletcher Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, Austin, TX 2,497Woody Garvin Valley Presbyterian Church, Paradise Valley, AZ 1,973David Henderson Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Lafayette, IN 1,533John Huffman St Andrews Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, CA4,097Bruce Humphrey Rancho Bernardo Community PC, San Diego, CA 2,607Gareth Icenogle The National Presbyterian Church, Washington D.C.2,518David Joynt Presbyterian Church of Toms River, Toms River, NJ 2,669Richard Kannwischer First Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, TX 3,060Ron Kincaid Sunset Presbyterian Church, Portland, OR 1,845Mike McClenahan Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, Solana Beach, CA 1,569Rick Murray First Presbyterian Church, Yakima, WA 1,375Vic Pentz Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA 7,957David Peterson Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX 4,436Doug Rumford Colonial Presbyterian Church, Kansas City, MO 1,880Ron Scates Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Dallas, TX 4,315Jim Singleton First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, CO 5,068Tim Snow University Presbyterian Church, Seattle, WA 4,498Gary Stratman Covenant Presbyterian Church, Austin, TX 1,958David Swanson First Presbyterian Church, Orlando, FL 4,594Mark Toone Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, Gig Harbor, WA 1,601William Vanderbloemen First Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX 4,654Henry Wells Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church, Fair Oaks, CA 3,047