The board of directors of the Montreat Conference Center is asking for a six-month “season of prayer, study and dialogue” regarding the request that Montreat Church has made to be dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The historic North Carolina congregation — where Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, has long been a member — voted 311-27 on Jan. 21 to ask to be dismissed to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Leaders of the Montreat congregation have said they have tried repeatedly, and unsuccessfully, to call the PC(USA) to repentance, and have determined the congregation can do more effective ministry within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The Montreat congregation is located not far from the Montreat Conference Center in the North Carolina mountains. And now the conference center board of directors is asking the Montreat church and the Presbytery of Western North Carolina to agree to a six-month season of prayer and discernment, “with the ultimate goal of seeking a mutually acceptable solution.”
If either the congregation or the presbytery won’t agree to participate in such a season, the board is asking that the presbytery not grant the congregation’s request for dismissal.
The trustees of the Montreat Retreat Association (the official legal entity that operates the conference center) also expressed “deep sorrow” over the congregation’s action — referring to the century-long history of cooperation between the congregation, the conference center and the PC(USA) and its predecessor denominations — and has asked Montreat church to reconsider its vote to leave.
The presbytery is scheduled to vote on the Montreat congregation’s request for dismissal on April 24.
