Welcome!
Here are some documents and information about the struggle of Eastminster
Presbyterians to remain faithful to their Savior Jesus Christ, their
ordination vows, and their ministry and mission when our brothers and
sisters have been
misled by untruths to violate their own church's constitution and break the
bonds of trust, common faith, and shared history that binds Presbyterians
together. Truly heart breaking.
Presbytery Postpones "One Night Only" Offer From Stow
March 13 - By a close vote, Presbytery declined to immediately to
vote on a one night only offer, previously presented to the Stow Consulting
Commission, to dissolve one of the Presbytery's churches. Presbytery decided not to hear persons claiming to be from the
Stow church who wanted to bypass the Stow Consulting Commission and speak
to the entire Presbytery about an unscheduled motion recorded in the
commission's minutes. (No one signed in as a commissioner to Presbytery
from the Stow Presbyterian Church)
Move that the Stow Presbyterian
Church be dissolved as a congregation within the PC(USA) and that the
property be considered disposed to the present Stow congregation.
Dissolving will include a 2006 per capita payment of $4,368 from the
present Stow congregation and its direct PC(USA) mission support in 2007
on four levels: locally, within Eastminster Presbytery, nationally and
internationally.”
The presenter of the motion stated that the "offer" expired that day when
the Presbytery considered postponing the motion until its next meeting.
Presbytery refused to be rushed into such an important decision and will be
in prayerful consideration and conversation with Stow Presbyterian Church
through the Consulting Commission until its May meeting.
Previous Presbytery action on 11/14/06:
Eastminster Presbytery directs the
Consulting Commission to perform a special administrative review of the
Stow Presbyterian Church with authorization to explore the possibility
of a negotiated settlement with the understanding that a negotiated
settlement requires the approval of Eastminster Presbytery.
Members: Lynn Thompson Bryant, Rusty Cowden, Bonnie Dutton, Carmen
Ferris, Paul Gaug, Alan Hutchison, Trella Johnson, Peggy Richmond.
Ex-Officio: Nick Mager, Harriet Chapman, Dan Schomer
The Presbytery vote can be interpreted as supporting the ministry of
these Presbyterians in their work with Stow Presbyterian Church and a
rejection of some purporting to be from Stow to hijack the process with a
surprise "one-night only" offer.
In other action related to Stow Presbyterian Church the Presbytery
approved this motion:
Whereas the Stow Presbyterian
Church filed new articles of incorporation on January 19, 2006, in which
they describe their purpose of incorporation as follows: “The general
object and purpose for which this religious corporation is formed is to
worship Almighty God, to give instruction in Christianity, to
voluntarily gather for corporate prayers and worship, and to voluntarily
associate with a higher denominational organization, such as the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), so long as doing so is in accordance with
the dictates of conscience”, and whereas on October 9, 2006, the Session
of the Stow Presbyterian Church informed the Stated Clerk and General
Presbyter that at a congregational meeting of the Stow Presbyterian
Church held on October 8, 2006, the congregation voted “to disassociate
from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), effective immediately”,
Eastminster Presbytery goes on record that it finds these actions to be
irregularities because they are in violation of the Constitution of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A).
Eastminster Presbytery Minister Rev. D. Wayne Bogue
Instructed by Presbytery to Follow Constitution
In action related to Hudson Presbyterian Church, the
Presbytery instructed the Rev. D. Wayne Bogue, a minister member of
Eastminster Presbytery by his choice and vow:
Whereas only presbyteries may
ordain persons to serve as Ministers of Word and Sacrament in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and whereas the Rev. D. Wayne Bogue, a
Minister of Word and Sacrament of Eastminster Presbytery in good
standing, has indicated his intent to participate in the ordination of
* to the ministry of Word and Sacrament by the
congregation of the Hudson Presbyterian Church, Eastminster Presbytery
instructs the Rev. D. Wayne Bogue not to participate in the examination
for ordination of * to the ministry of Word and
Sacrament, not to participate in any congregational meeting in which
approval of the ordination of * to the ministry of Word
and Sacrament is voted upon, and not to participate in any service of
ordination for * to the ministry of Word and
Sacrament by the congregation of Hudson Presbyterian Church.
The violation of these
instructions will be considered a renunciation of jurisdiction.
* Name removed from
web version at candidate's request
Renunciation of jurisdiction is a technical term for a
minister who no longer wishes to be accountable and connected to the church
as a minister member of a Presbytery. Such a person would no longer be a
PC(USA) "Reverend".
Letter from Stated Clerk and GAC Executive Director
General Assembly Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick and General Assembly
Council Executive Director Linda Valentine recently sent
this
letter to every congregation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) urging
them not to defect from the PC(USA).
Click
here for letter in new window
Still Sisters and Brothers in Christ
Here is a summary of Presbytery's
care for Hudson Presbyterians who wish to remain with the PC(USA) from the
Presbytery meeting on January 9, 2007:
Hudson Church Commission reported
on the work of the commission. Motion prevailed to add the following
additional powers to its duties: to organize gatherings, make
arrangements for the pastoral needs, make arrangements for the special
worship needs including the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, and to
establish a designated fund for non-legal expenses related to the true
Hudson Presbyterian Church. A clarification was
provided that the use of the term “true” is a constitutional one to be
used internally by the presbytery and is not intended to construe that
those members of the Hudson Church who wish to depart from the PCUSA are
no longer sisters and brothers in Christ.
From the Quickline — on the presbytery web site:
www.faithfulness.com
Presbytery sued by Hudson Leadership
Before Any Presbytery Vote.
In 1978, the foundational principle that a particular Presbyterian church was part of the Presbytery and held in trust for the denomination as a whole was made explicit in the constitution of the church. This was a major difference between the "southern" and "northern" Presbyterian churches, (since reunited). In the current reunited Presbyterian denomination, the constitutional provision remains: property is held in trust of the PC(USA) and only Presbyteries may dismiss congregations.
Legal action was recorded in January of 2006 after Stow
Presbyterian Church at a congregational meeting, without notice to the
Presbytery and contrary to the Presbyterian church constitution, changed their incorporation papers adding a statement to "voluntarily associate" with the PC(USA) (thanks to the Rev. David
Weyrick for correcting an earlier version.)
In January of 2006 the state of Ohio
recorded the Hudson church took similar action also without notice and without church constitutional authority.
In September 2006 those who wished to
leave the PCUSA in Hudson sued
Eastminister Presbytery! (before any Presbytery vote!)
