The difficulties continue at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, a large and well-known California congregation that’s been locked in recent months in a painful internal struggle.
On Sept. 29, the session of Hollywood church asked for the resignations of pastor Alan Meenan and associate pastor David Manock, and called for a congregational meeting to discuss the matter on October 9.
That followed months of controversy within the congregation. Last May, the Presbytery of the Pacific appointed an administrative commission to oversee the church and put Meenan and Manock on paid administrative leave.
The presbytery did so after receiving some complaints from congregants and staff, and learning that the church had spent $840,000 more than it had received in revenue in 2004. The church ended up selling a piece of property to cover the deficit. The commission stated in a letter that it found “deep concern, controversy and division” within the congregation regarding governance and finances.
Another point of conflict apparently involved an alternative worship service called Contemporary Urban Experience (CUE), featuring rock music and held in a nightclub. Some at the Hollywood congregation loved the service, which was bringing in young people, while others preferred traditional music.
The battles have result in a series of changes for the congregation.
Some key players have left — including some leaders of the CUE ministry — to form a new non-denominational church.
The clerk of session resigned and the session is now asking Meenan and Manock to leave.
And remedial cases involving the dispute have been filed with the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii.
