MONTREAT, N.C. — A task force of the Presbytery of Western North Carolina has recommended that the Montreat Church be divided into two congregations, one to remain in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the other to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The recommendation comes as an initial response to a vote of the congregation, taken on January 21, to disaffiliate from the PC(USA) and affiliate with the EPC. The congregation’s vote was 311 to 27.
The task force report will be considered at a special meeting of the presbytery to be held on the Montreat Conference Center campus on April 25.
The recommendation of the task force calls for the presbytery to take control of the property for a period of up to six months. The property in question is the Henry Building, a classroom and office building that was funded and built by the congregation. It has been worshipping in Gaither Hall, which is owned by the college. Under North Carolina law, the church holds property for the denomination.
If approved, the presbytery would allow the two congregations to share the use of the facility. An initial arrangement calls for 90 percent of the facilities to be used by the EPC congregation, and 10 percent to be used by the PC(USA) congregation.
The six month period is proposed in order for a new task force, to be filled by representatives of the two congregations, the presbytery, the Mountain Retreat Association, the Montreat College–all of which share the campus–“to work out a mutually acceptable settlement concerning the property, which the Task Force can recommend to the Presbytery at its October 2007 meeting.”
That task force will not be bound by any of the recommendations of the present task force. General Presbyter Bobbie White hopes, “that this task force can find some creative alternative solutions.”
The task force is requesting the MRA to provide free worship space for the PC(USA) congregation for the six month negotiation period. The assumption is that the EPC congregation will continue to use Gaither Hall.
In these regards, White told the Outlook, “The presbytery does not want to hurt the ministry of the congregation. Our objective is to enhance the ministry of both congregations.”
The recommendations come after the board of the MRA had requested the congregation to enter into a six month conversation with the other parties, in the hope of working through concerns of the congregation. That proposal was delivered to both the presbytery task force and to the congregation’s Session, but the Session refused. Their clerk said that dismissal to the EPC was what was most important to the congregation, and that they could discuss property and other matters later.
The recommendations of the task force:
I. The Presbytery of Western North Carolina, after diligent and prayerful efforts to hear and evaluate the desires and reasons of all affected parties, agrees to:
A. Follow our Lord’s command that ‘you love one another as I have loved you,’ and the Apostle Paul’s mandate that we ‘make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’
B. Remind all officers of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [hereinafter PC(USA)] of their vows.
1. To be ‘in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture, and continually guided by our confessions;’
2. To ‘be governed by our church’s polity and … abide by its discipline;’ and
3. ‘To further the peace, unity and purity of the church.’
C. Divide (pursuant to BO: G-11.0103.i) the current Montreat Presbyterian church into two congregations, namely
1. The continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church (which continues the name: ‘Montreat Presbyterian Church’) which is herewith designated as ‘the true church within the PCUSA’ (pursuant to BO: G-8.0601); and
2. Those members of the current Montreat Presbyterian Church who are desirous of being dismissed as a congregation to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, which new congregation shall be referred to as the EPC Congregation.
D. (For the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church):
Authorize the chair of the Committee on Ministry, the chair of the Coordinating Council, and the General Presbyter together to appoint (pursuant to BO: G-9.0500) an administrative commission with all the powers and responsibilities of a Session (BO: G-10.0102) for the benefit and ministry of the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church.
E. (For the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church):
Request the Mountain Retreat Association (which controls the Montreat Conference Center) to provide, free of charge, suitable space for worship and other church activities for the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church, when it so requests.
F. (For the EPC Congregation):
Dismiss (pursuant to BO: 11.0103.i) the EPC Congregation to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, upon a request from the EPC Presbytery Stated Clerk , with the blessings and prayers of this Presbytery for its faithful and fruitful service to the Lord.
G. Agree that, if the EPC Congregation (or any of its members) brings a civil lawsuit against this Presbytery, then the above dismissal is null and void, and the Special Task Force for Montreat (or seven of its members) will immediately become an administrative commission to exercise original jurisdiction over that Congregation (BO: G-11.0103.s) with all the powers and responsibilities of a Session (BO: G-10.0102), making regular reports to this Presbytery.
II. The Presbytery of Western North Carolina further agrees to:
H. Take possession of all the real property now ‘held in trust…for the use and benefit of the PCUSA’ (BO: G-8.0201) by the formerly undivided Montreat Presbyterian Church, to hold and manage such property in trust for the mission of Christ’s Church in this Presbytery and the PCUSA, until this process described in item II.I. below is completed.
I. Remembering the instruction of the Prophet Isaiah – – ‘Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord,’ authorize the Special Task Force for Montreat to invite and convene meetings of these concerned parties (two representatives from each):
· Task Force
· Mountain Retreat Association (Montreat Conference Center)
· The continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church, including any who may wish to join it
· The EPC Congregation, including any who may wish to join it
· Montreat College
for up to six months to work out a mutually acceptable settlement concerning the property, which the Task Force can recommend to the Presbytery at its October 2007 meeting.
J. Provide, during the interim, that the use of the land and building in Montreat known as the Henry Building shall be shared by the two congregations (the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church and the EPC Congregation), initially approximately 10 percent of the space for the continuing Montreat Presbyterian Church and 90 percent for the EPC Congregation, authorizing the chair of the Coordinating Council, the chair of the Committee on Ministry and the General Presbyter together to decide on the actual allocation of such space in the Henry Building and, as seems justifiable to them, to adjust the actual percentages of space shared.
K. Pray for the divine blessing of grace and peace on this settlement, to the lasting glory of the One God: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Revised 4/14/07
