Almost immediately after the 86th affirmative vote was cast and the language related to marriage was formally amended in the Book of Order the phone started ringing. I have now heard from more than a dozen pastors who received reassuring calls from presbytery representatives saying essentially, “Don’t worry, we know you don’t believe in same-sex…
Now that Joe Rightmyer has made public his intent not to appeal the ruling of Grace Presbytery’s Permanent Judicial Commission which stripped him of his ordination, efforts are underway to make sure what happened to Rightmyer does not happen to others. The cry is rising from all quarters and people are asking: What can we do…
First delivered by Joe Rightmyer before the PJC of Grace Presbytery on January 6, 2015, in a more abbreviated form. This expanded version is dated February, 2015, following requests for the content of his message. There is much to be commended in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). There are many faithful churches and pastors committed to…
By Steve Salyards, The GA Junkie On 7 January the Permanent Judicial Commission of Grace Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) announced its decision in Disciplinary Case 2015-1: Grace Presbytery v. TE Joseph Rightmyer finding him guilty on eight of the eleven counts he had been charged with. This case comes out of the departure…
By Jeff Gissing, jeffgissing.com In a recent post, The Layman has characterized my earlier article on the defrocking of Joseph Rightmyer as “defending” the presbytery (read it here): The condemnation of Grace Presbytery’s defrocking of Joe Rightmyer on Jan. 7 has been virtually uniform. Even those, like Jeff Gissing, who seem to “defend” the decision of the presbytery’s Permanent Judicial Commission,…
The condemnation of Grace Presbytery’s defrocking of Joe Rightmyer on Jan. 7 has been virtually uniform. Even those, like Jeff Gissing, who seem to “defend” the decision of the presbytery’s Permanent Judicial Commission, acknowledge that it is “another instance of placing procedural fidelity before theological fidelity.” The board of directors of the Presbyterian Lay Committee…
Since the announcement on Jan. 7, 2015 that Grace Presbytery defrocked Joe Rightmyer as censure for his participation in the process that lead to Highland Park Presbyterian Church’s realignment to another Reformed denomination, many in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have been voicing their outrage at the denomination and their support for Rightmyer. He is universally respected…
Grace Presbytery has stripped Joseph B. Rightmyer of his ordination as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). The presbytery’s Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC) ruling found Rightmyer guilty on eight counts related to the process that resulted in the departure of Highland Park Presbyterian Church from the denomination. A letter from Grace presbytery reads,…
By Michael Gryboski A Texas Presbyterian megachurch is asking for prayers as it readies for the trial date for its property lawsuit against the mainline Protestant denomination that its voted to disaffiliate from. Highland Park Presbyterian Church of Dallas’ sent out a statement requesting prayers as they neared the date for arguments in their lawsuit…
By Claire Z. Cardona Members of Highland Park Presbyterian Church voted overwhelmingly Sunday to disassociate with its national body to join a more conservative denomination. With a vote of 1,337 to 170, the church decided to leave Presbyterian Church (USA), the largest Presbyterian denomination in the country. Another vote cemented the church majority’s desire to…