Congregations that disaffiliated from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) over the denomination’s liberal direction on Scripture and theology recently realigned with the newly inaugurated New Wineskins-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. Amid preparation to exit the PC(USA) and property issues, the breakaway groups acknowledged possible neglect toward congregations that have decided to remain in the denomination.
“First, those of us in the New Wineskins who have left the PC(USA) want to ask your forgiveness if we have been short with you, less than encouraging in our conversations, or down right neglectful of your needs and feelings. It has been a busy time for us,” stated Randy Jenkins, moderator of the New Wineskins EPC Presbytery, in a letter addressed to members of the New Wineskins Association of Churches, a network of Presbyterian churches discontent with the PC(USA).
The network claims nearly 200 Presbyterian churches, representing about 100,000 Presbyterians. Only 46 churches in the network have voted to leave the PC(USA) so far. Others have decided to remain in the PC(USA) while committing to reform the denomination and still others have not yet voted.
Speaking for those who have focused their energies on cutting ties, Jenkins highlighted the distance that might have been felt in recent years with churches that were not splitting.
“We probably haven’t been as encouraging to you, our friends who have not yet left, or who are committed to staying, as we should have been,” he said. “We mean no disrespect, it’s just that our course was set and now we must take a moment and realize that others are just as, or sometimes more, faithful than we were; and that faithfulness may be lived out in staying in the PC(USA) and being a prophetic witness.”
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Some Reasserting Presbyterians have asked for forgiveness from their fellow believers
Congregations that disaffiliated from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) over the denomination’s liberal direction on Scripture and theology recently realigned with the newly inaugurated New Wineskins-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. Amid preparation to exit the PC(USA) and property issues, the breakaway groups acknowledged possible neglect toward congregations that have decided to remain in the denomination.
“First, those of us in the New Wineskins who have left the PC(USA) want to ask your forgiveness if we have been short with you, less than encouraging in our conversations, or down right neglectful of your needs and feelings. It has been a busy time for us,” stated Randy Jenkins, moderator of the New Wineskins EPC Presbytery, in a letter addressed to members of the New Wineskins Association of Churches, a network of Presbyterian churches discontent with the PC(USA).
The network claims nearly 200 Presbyterian churches, representing about 100,000 Presbyterians. Only 46 churches in the network have voted to leave the PC(USA) so far. Others have decided to remain in the PC(USA) while committing to reform the denomination and still others have not yet voted.
Speaking for those who have focused their energies on cutting ties, Jenkins highlighted the distance that might have been felt in recent years with churches that were not splitting.
“We probably haven’t been as encouraging to you, our friends who have not yet left, or who are committed to staying, as we should have been,” he said. “We mean no disrespect, it’s just that our course was set and now we must take a moment and realize that others are just as, or sometimes more, faithful than we were; and that faithfulness may be lived out in staying in the PC(USA) and being a prophetic witness.”
Read it all.