Heartland Presbytery Called Meeting Summary

On December 18, 2007, Heartland Presbytery had a called meeting to work through business brought before it by the Committee on Ministry.

The Moderator of the Committee on Ministry, Rev. Brian Ellison and the Moderator of the Administrative Commission, Rev. Leslie King made brief presentations before each motion (1a, 1b and 2). Rev. Kirk Johnston presented following their presentations. Each motion was thoroughly discussed and the presbytery was led in prayer before each vote. The following motions were approved:

1a.That the presbytery concur with the Administrative Commission and Committee on Ministry that the Reverend A. Kirk Johnston has "after consultation and notice, persisted in a work disapproved" by the presbytery and presume that he has renounced jurisdiction (G-6.0702), effective November 18, 2007, directing the Stated Clerk to remove his name from the roll and take such other actions of an administrative character as may be required by the Constitution.

Vote results: 131 for Motion 1a and 35 against Motion 1a.

1b. That the presbytery concur with the Administrative Commission and Committee on Ministry that the Reverend A. Kirk Johnston has "accepted membership of any character in another denomination" (G-11.0416) since November 18, 2007, directing the Stated Clerk to delete his name from the roll, and take such other actions of an administrative character as may be required by the Constitution. The presbytery proceeds in this action with a sad heart and offers its prayers for God’s grace and blessing in the future ministry of A. Kirk Johnston.

Vote results: 148 for Motion 1b and 10 against Motion 1b as amended

(The second sentence was added as an amendment.)

2. That the presbytery determine that any further pastoral or ministerial activities by A. Kirk Johnston (G-6.0200) in connection with "Lighthouse Presbyterian Church of Paola" or any other worshipping community within the geographic bounds of Heartland Presbytery--including, but not limited to, preaching, leading worship, or the administration of the sacraments of baptism or the Lord's Supper--is disapproved.

Vote results: 108 for Motion 2 and 39 against Motion 2

From the floor, Rev. Brian Ellison, Moderator of Committee on Ministry moved that the previously adopted motions 1a and 1b both be amended so that effective date in each motion is December 18, 2007.

Votes results: 143 for and 0 against

The presbytery did their work with faithfulness and diligence, listening to the Committee on Ministry and the Administrative Commission’s report and Rev. Kirk Johnston’s responses to those presentations. Heartland Presbytery Moderator Sunok Pai led the presbytery in prayer and song prior to adjournment.

Rev. A. Kirk Johnston has been removed from the roll of Presbyterian Church (USA) ministers of the Word and Sacrament effective December 18, 2007, based on G-6.0702 and G-11.0416.

Minutes for this meeting will not be released until the presbytery has approved them at their next stated meeting.

Vote counts for motions 1A and 1B have been corrected in this posting. 12/19/07 3:20 p.m.

St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church votes to leave PC(USA)

St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church: 132 E Union St., Somerset, PA 15501 (No Website)

• 320 Members, Weather produce low turnout.
• Pastor Keith Fink: No Comment
• Vote: 173-10 to leave to EPC
• Redstone Presbytery will next meet in March
• It must determine whether the church can keep its property and to dismiss.
• The presbytery includes 85 churches
• “The congregation has been discussing this subject for approximately six months,” Elder Linc Van Sickel said.
• They may merge with St. Francis-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, if it leaves too.

News Coverage:

• Pennsylvania Wire
• Daily American
• Tribune-Democrat

How to Handle the Troubles in PC(USA)?

I have been reflecting on Pastor Lyn's blog on PCUSA Troubles back on Aug 10, 2007 again. The latest trouble with Heartland, called my attention to her blog again. She is not interested in PC(USA) just serving Jesus. So I decided to try and organize the different viewpoints on how to respond to the troubles. For more resources see New Wineskins paper. First what are the troubles:

• Confusion
• Idolatry
• Wrangling
• Peace, Unity and Purity
• Bureaucracy
• Religious Pluralism
• Crumbling Standards

Second, how does one respond? Moderation is often taught in the Bible and yet Revelation, speaks of spitting out the luke-warm. I wonder where Pastor Lyn stands in this range?

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (FUD)

• Emulate the three monkeys: Do nothing, Say Nothing, Hear Nothing
• Do Nothing: do not attend Presbytery or New Wineskins, or Confessing, or other groups.
• Say Nothing: no matter what PC(USA) does, do not interfere.
• Hear Nothing: Do not read Layman, or any blogs on the troubles.

Indifference: Go about Jesus's work, ignore the troubles.

• Jesus threw out the money changers, etc. - Should be a house of Prayer.
• Jesus criticized the leaders for poor leadership.
• Too much time on troubles, not enough for Jesus.
• The often quoted, "...then they came for me"
• If do nothing to correct a wrong, I am guilty of enabling the wrong do-ers.

Stay and Fight: Try to bring PCUSA back to bible.

• Be salt to PC(USA).
• I was born Presbyterian and I want to die Presbyterian! (nevermind that PC(USA) is was born in 1983 and is only partially related to the two previous denominations.)

Leave PC(USA)

• Jesus telling the Apostles to shake the dust from their feet.

Out for Revenge?

Rev. Parker T. Williamson (editor emeritus of the Presbyterian Lay Committee) has a commentary on the Paola First Presbyterian Church vs. Heartland Presbytery. The article show that Brian D. Ellison (Moderator of the COM) may be out for Revenge against the pastor at First.

Are these Google results all for the same Rev. Ellison? If they are the same person, it paints a very dark picture for Heartland.

• MTRI Committe - BOP representative
• Board of Pensions - Board of directors - Class of 2010
• short bio from his church website Parkville, MO 363 members, contributions: $436,916.
• Sabatical Leave to Italy by Louisville Institute
• World Alliance of Reformed Churches - Caribbean and North American Area Council CANAAC 2001
• Presybweb Letter: Supporting AC can not be overturned by PJC - 2005
• Parliamentarian/ Recorder - International Issues - 216th General Assembly
• Stated Clerk Nomination Committee: Princeton Seminary student and Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, May 31, 1996 - on Cliff Kirkpatrick: "we believe we've chosen the most qualified person." moderator
• OGA - 214 GA, April 23, 2002 - parliamentarian/recorder -Mission Coordination and Budgets
• Aug 10, 2007 Comments on Rev. Lyn Olson Blog as COM about South Broadland

PRAYER REQUEST - Disaster in Oklahoma

An Ice storm of record setting size struck Oklahoma Sunday and Monday. I was able to tour the Tulsa area Tuesday. Almost every tree has damage, many of them only have trunks left. Power is out to most areas. I had much difficulty if finding a fast food place to eat, the few that had power, also had long lines. One Wal-Mart, I visited had no oil lamps, no candles and huge crowds. The few gas stations that had power, had lines into the street. Almost every stop light was out. You would get to an intersection with working lights and find that only one corner had power. At one shopping center, the "mall" had power and the out-parcels where closed. On Sunday, it was the opposite. Some of the homes will not have power for as much as 10 days. OKC may be even worst. The State has declared a state of emergency in most areas. Most of the hospitals in Tulsa are on emergency generators and will only take emergency patients!

Please pray for the victims(no homes), the stores (no income), the workers fixing power, phone, cable in the cold and working long hours and far away from home. UPDATE: We should also pray for Police, Fire (many house fires due to candles), EMS, Road crews, Tree crews. They are working many long hours in the cold as well. 4,000 electric crews have come in from out of the area to help. Over 20 people have died in the area and many more are hurting.

Timberridge Property Battle Timeline

Disaffiliate VS Dismissal Layman has through coverage of the court case between Timberridge Presbyterian Church in McDonough, Ga. and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.

• Dec 10 Updated News
• Details of Church's Property action against Presbytery.

Documents:

• Sept 6: Church's Compalint
• Sept 17: Church Motion for TRO
• Setp 19: Presbytery Response and Conterclaim
• Sept 19: Presbytery Motion to Dismiss
• Seot 19: Presbytery Brief for Motion
• Sept 27 Presbytery Response
• Sept 27: Supplement Response to TRO
• Oct 3: Church's Amended Complaint
• Oct 18: Church's TRO partially granted
• Oct 22: Church's brief in opposition to Dismiss
• Oct 24: Pastor and Executive Presbyter meet
• Nov. 9: EP letter to Pastor COM's recommendation for AC
• Nov 25: Church votes to leave (Disaffiliate) immediately.
• Nov 27: Presbytery Stated Meeting Handbook
• Nov 27: AC approved
• Nov 27: COM suggests AC investigates pastor , staff, elders for New Wineskins Attendance.
• Nov. 27 Letter by Pastor to the Executive Presbyter
• Dec 12: AC meets for training.
• Feb 23: Next STATED meeting of Presbytery.

Fair Oaks PC and FPC Roseville, CA Dismissed by Presbytery.

From the Fair Oaks PC website:

Sacramento Presbytery Affirms Agreement

"The Sacramento Presbytery, in its regular meeting of December 2, 2007, held in Chico, voted to affirm the terms of the negotiated settlement recently reached by teams from FOPC and the Presbytery. The vote, 146-18, gives the go ahead for FOPC to be dismissed from the the PC(USA), with its property, and affiliate with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church as of January 1, 2008. In a similar vote (153-11) the Sacramento Presbytery also dismissed First Presbyterian Church of Roseville. The next step is for official documents to be signed and filed by the parties. Please be in prayer that the process will continue to be gracious and smoothly reach a positive conclusion on January 1."

From the Sacramento Presbytery website, the proposed agreements.

• Fair Oaks: $250,000 over 10 years
• Roseville: $160,000 over 8 years
• Transfer Pastor's to EPC or labor out of bonds
• Roseville: Not terminate Pastors for one year
• Drop Lawsuits.
• Contact Members asking if they want to stay in PC(USA)
• No Endowments in PC(USA)'s name
• No Debt naming PC(USA)

EOP vs Kirk update

EOP has spent $133,058 this year on legal expenses as of Sept 30, 2007