(Post Gazette) By a vote of 195-4, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Mt. Lebanon has decided to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA) with the intention of joining a more theologically conservative Presbyterian body.
The vote, which took place with four observers from Pittsburgh Presbytery present, does not end the matter. The congregation will continue working with a presbytery negotiating team to come up with a proposal for Beverly Heights to keep its building, in exchange for what the presbytery calls "a substantial mission gift." Read more..
By serving on the on the Denominational Concerns Task Force in the Beaver – Butler Presbytery, I am aware of other churches who feel the same way. In the in the Beaver-Butler Presbytery, about 10% of the member churches are withholding all or part of their per-capita as a protest against denominational policies.
In addition to Beverly Heights Presbyterian, I understand that there are 5 other churches in the Pittsburgh Presbytery that may also leave the denomination. Ordination standards, abortion, the enforcement / interpretation of the Presbyterian Book of Order, theological stands and political advocacy by the national denomination seem to be the controversies at the top of the list.
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