On Nov. 1, the session of First Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas voted 21-2 to request dismissal from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and to affiliate with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. The session has said that it would request that the Presbytery of New Covenant include the dismissal request on the agenda of its…
By Juliana Valencia and Austin Vance, WPSD Local News. PADUCAH, Ky – A ministry part of Paducah for 122 years is closing its doors. Westminster Presbyterian Church held its last service Sunday. Established in 1894 the congregation moved to the building on the corner of 28th and Broadway in 1952. Lay Elder Don Barger says giving Sunday’s…
By Matt McGrath, Jim Norman and Abbott Koloff, North Jersey.com. The sanctuary of the iconic First Presbyterian Church on East Palisade Avenue, which was established in the 19th century, was destroyed by a multiple-alarm blaze just days before Easter Sunday. Members are working to determine where Easter services will be held, the church web site…
By Elaine Ayala, The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio’s oldest Protestant congregation will head to court Wednesday to plead that its property, including two valuable pieces of downtown real estate, be declared theirs and theirs alone — specifically not that of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) nor that of the Mission Presbytery, the denomination’s regional council….
By Sarah M. Wojcik, The Morning Call. (Pennsylvania) The largest Presbyterian church in the Lehigh Valley has begun a process that could lead to a split from the most visible national denomination — a move initiated after a survey showed most of its congregants disagree with church positions including, those allowing same-sex marriage and the…
By Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel. Pastor Hugh Lackey is in the bell tower of First Presbyterian Church of Sanford as a colorful light from the stained-glass windows spills into the room. He grabs a metal chain dropping down from the ceiling and pulls hard, bending his knees. With each pull, the large church…
The Rev. Dr. Ron Scates, interim senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, Texas, has been accused of violating his ordination vows by a member of Mission Presbytery, but those charges are believed to be in direct violation of a protection order issued by a judge in civil court. According to a letter…
By Alva James-Johnson, The Ledger-Enquirer (Georgia). A proposal for First Presbyterian Church of Columbus, Ga., to separate from the Presbyterian Church (USA) failed Sunday by eight votes. The 900-member congregation, which has been divided over gay marriage and other doctrinal issues, voted 266 to 146 in favor of the measure. But the number fell short of…
Nevada Appeal staff report First Presbyterian Church members in Carson City voted Sunday to leave Presbyterian Church (USA) and affiliate instead with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. Charlene Rodman, church administrator, said Monday the decision was made with about 90 percent of those voting in favor of the change. The Rev. Bruce Kochsmeier,…
By John Barrette, The Nevada Appeal First Presbyterian Church members in Carson City will vote Oct. 19 on whether to leave Presbyterian Church (USA) for affiliation with an emerging group of orthodox Presbyterian congregations. The decision to join “ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians” comes in the aftermath of the PCUSA easing its outlook on gay…