Peters Creek Presbyterian Church voted 273-86 yesterday to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA ) for the more theologically conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The vote — which included two abstentions — represented more than half the church’s full membership of 595 and just over 75 percent of the 361 ballots cast. Those percentages would meet the standard that Washington Presbytery set in July to consider allowing churches that want to move to the other denomination to do so along with their property.
But because Peters Creek initiated its move before that plan was adopted, the presbytery is not required to consider those numbers in its case. In the absence of such a local plan, denominational law says that the property belongs to the denomination.
“We have placed the future of this ministry into your hands and into the hands of Washington Presbytery,” the Rev. L. Rus Howard said in a prayer after the decision was announced. “Help us treat each other with love and grace and mercy.”
Read it all.
Peters Creek Presbyterians vote to leave denomination
Peters Creek Presbyterian Church voted 273-86 yesterday to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA ) for the more theologically conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The vote — which included two abstentions — represented more than half the church’s full membership of 595 and just over 75 percent of the 361 ballots cast. Those percentages would meet the standard that Washington Presbytery set in July to consider allowing churches that want to move to the other denomination to do so along with their property.
But because Peters Creek initiated its move before that plan was adopted, the presbytery is not required to consider those numbers in its case. In the absence of such a local plan, denominational law says that the property belongs to the denomination.
“We have placed the future of this ministry into your hands and into the hands of Washington Presbytery,” the Rev. L. Rus Howard said in a prayer after the decision was announced. “Help us treat each other with love and grace and mercy.”
Read it all.