Back in the battle again
for Roseville and Fair Oaks
By Deborah A. Hills, The Layman , September 24, 2008
Could the congregations of First Presbyterian Church of Roseville, Calif., and Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church of Fair Oaks, Calif., be headed to court again? It seemed as if the legal battles were over when all court proceedings were concluded in favor of the churches on Sept. 11, 2008, and both churches disaffiliated from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and joined the New Wineskins Transitional Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
However on Saturday, the Sacramento Presbytery of the PCUSA voted to request that an administrative commission be formed by the Synod of the Pacific. The petition read:
The Presbytery hereby petitions the Synod to appoint an administrative commission under G-9.02503, with the power to act on behalf of the Presbytery in all matters related to the Suits, including the Appeal and to provide or obtain funding in connection therewith. The timeline of this case is long and confusing. At one point the churches reached a settlement with the presbytery, but because of a complaint by Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento, Calif., the synod intervened. Westminster asked that the decision to dismiss both churches be declared “irregular and revoked.”
Eventually, the presbytery voted to stop all appeals, and the synod agreed. But with this new request by the presbytery, the synod could file yet another appeal before the 60-day appeal period ends in October.
The presbytery filed the request to comply with the PCUSA’s policy to fight the departure of high-profile churches with valuable property. But since it can no longer afford to mount court battles on its own, its passing that responsibility back to the synod.
The Rev. Jim Barstow of First Presbyterian Church of Roseville, Calif., says he thinks the appeal will be “annoying and expensive” for all parties, but will not substantially change the previous ruling of the courts.
Meanwhile, First Presbyterian Church of Roseville and Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church are busy about the business of conducting ministry through their churches and their new association with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
All but one of their pastors, that is. Associate Pastor Ron Oldenkamp has decided to remain with the PCUSA. He said he believes that the Lord is calling him to be a “prophetic voice” and continue to “fight and work to hold accountable” those in the denomination who have strayed from the clear truths of Scripture.
Oldenkamp admitted that it won’t be an easy road for someone who was part of such a high-profile departure from the denomination. Yet he says he wants to continue to minister to the many people and congregations in the PCUSA that still stand for Biblical truth in spite of a leadership that appears to be dismantling the denomination.