A Peters congregation that felt Washington Presbytery had balked at its request to join a more conservative Presbyterian denomination voted yesterday to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) without presbytery approval, and to immediately affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The vote at Peters Creek Presbyterian Church was 207-26 with five abstentions. According to Peters Creek leaders, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church had already approved its request to affiliate, so people left the 11 a.m. service as members of the smaller, more conservative denomination.
The Rev. L. Rus Howard, pastor of Peters Creek, said during the service that this would put the matter of who owns the property into the civil courts, but he believed they would be more fair and impartial than Washington Presbytery.
“I’m very grateful” for the vote, he said afterward. “This has been a long struggle, but we did it as a matter of faith. We … believe this honors God and lets us get on with our mission.”
Read it all.
Peters church votes to leave Pittsburgh area presbytery
A Peters congregation that felt Washington Presbytery had balked at its request to join a more conservative Presbyterian denomination voted yesterday to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) without presbytery approval, and to immediately affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The vote at Peters Creek Presbyterian Church was 207-26 with five abstentions. According to Peters Creek leaders, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church had already approved its request to affiliate, so people left the 11 a.m. service as members of the smaller, more conservative denomination.
The Rev. L. Rus Howard, pastor of Peters Creek, said during the service that this would put the matter of who owns the property into the civil courts, but he believed they would be more fair and impartial than Washington Presbytery.
“I’m very grateful” for the vote, he said afterward. “This has been a long struggle, but we did it as a matter of faith. We … believe this honors God and lets us get on with our mission.”
Read it all.