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Churches that have voted
to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA)


For more information on property issues within the PCUSA, visit The Layman Online's Property Index.

For court documents related to property cases involving congregations, visit The Layman Online's Legal Resource Databank.

For a list of churches seeking clear title to property, visit The Layman Online's chart.

Date of
church vote

Church name

City, state

Member-
ship*

Presbytery

Action(s) taken

Affiliate
with
12/2/01 Norcrest Findlay, OH 491 Maumee Valley congregation voted 209-19 leave PCUSA; Pastor fired 1-21-02 and church property confiscated EPC
Dec-02 Circleville Circleville, NY 100 Hudson River congregation voted 72-2 to leave PCUSA; pay $112,500 – 10 % of property value EPC
2000 Hephzibah Bessemer City, NC. 50 Western N.C. 2002 congregation vote to leave; presbytery ultimately won a civil court ruling that awarded the presbytery the property. That ruling was later upheld by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Final action: presbytery seized the church manse, got $12,225.54 in rental income and sold it for $82,000. In addition, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church sent the presbytery $20,000 as the first of five annual payments by the congregation to buy the property back from the presbytery
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
Jul-03 Rivermont Lynchburg, VA 911 Peaks congregation voted 95% to leave PCUSA; exit toll of 30% of the $3,775,498 value of property EPC
Apr-04 First Charleston, MS 102 St. Andrew congregation voted 75-1 to leave PCUSA; paid presbytery $75,000 to leave with property PCA
4/24/04 First Warsaw, IN 721 Wabash Valley congregation voted 325-0 to leave PCUSA; leave with its property upon payment of $95,743 EPC
Jan-05 First Laredo, TX 40 Mission congregation voted 33-0 to renounce jurisdiction; dismissed; property undecided: $66,500 proposed EPC
Jan-05 Serone Artesia, CA 33 Hamni congregation decided to leave PCUSA and keep property; confidential settlement reached in 2006
Jan-05 Ephrata (Community) Ephrata, WA 202 Central Washington congregation voted 75-24 to leave; majority formed Community Pres.; minority is Ephrata Pres. EPC
1/10/05 Church of Ridgebury Ridgebury, NY 29 Hudson River congregation voted to leave the PCUSA; NY Supreme Court ruling congregation owns property; joined EPC in 1/27/07. EPC
4/10/05 Riverside Sartell, MN 161 Minnesota Valleys congregation voted 84-24 to leave the PCUSA EPC
Apr-05 First Torrance, CA 2,700 Hanmi congregation voted 781-144 to leave the PCUSA Korean Pres. Church in America
5/16/06 Third Dubuque, IA 160 John Knox presbytery vote 54-7 let church join EPC 6/1/06; church gave monetary 'gift' to keep property EPC
7/30/06 Olivet Evangelical Evansville, IN 170 Ohio Valley 116 out of 118 voted to request presbytery to let church leave w/property, finances; presbytery dismissed church in Dec. 2006 and filed suit for the church property on 7/2/07 in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court in Evansville, Ind. EPC
8/1/06 First (Evangelical) Cedar Grove, WI 68 Milwaukee congregation pay $150,000 settlement to keep property; was First, now First Evangelical EPC
8/10/06 French Camp French Camp, MS 94 St. Andrew session ask to leave w/property. Presbytery voted 5/1/07 to dismiss w/property for $30,000 ARP
8/13/06 Windsor Des Moines, IA 170 Des Moines congregation voted 53-26 to separate from PCUSA independent
8/27/06 Riverside Linn Grove, IA 124 Prospect Hill congregation voted 83-0 to petition for membership in the PCA; presbytery filed lawsuit for property PCA
8/30/06 Kirk of the Hills Tulsa, OK 2,800 Eastern Oklahoma congregation voted 96 % (967-36) to leave the PCUSA EPC
10/8/06 Stow Stow, OH 262 Eastminster congregation vote upheld unanimous session vote to leave PCUSA. The church and presbytery reached an agreement -- approved by presbytery commissioners at at a 5/13/08 meeting -- that the church be dissolved as a congregation within the denomination. It will retain its name, property and assets. In exchange, the church will give $40,000 to several presbytery mission projects over the next five years. not decided
11/5/06 Hudson Hudson, OH 502 Eastminster congregation voted 162-61 for disaffiliation. A magistrate in Summit County Common Pleas Court ruled on Oct. 26, that the property at Hudson Presbyterian Church belongs to the congregation, rejecting the argument of the presbytery that all property of the church is held in trust for the denomination as outlined in the PCUSA constitution. On 5/23/08 Judge Mary F. Spicer upheld the magistrate's ruling. On 2/4/09 an appellate court upheld the decision. On 6/17/09 the Supreme Court of Ohio finalized the earlier decisions by declining jurisdiction in the case. EPC
1/21/07 Montreat Montreat, NC 438 Western N.C. congregation voted 311-27 to leave PCUSA with 3 abstentions; presbytery voted to dismiss; property unsettled EPC
1/28/07 Signal Mountain Signal Mtn., TN 1,965 East Tennessee congregation voted 1,172-10 to leave the denomination and 1,138-14 to join the EPC; presbytery voted to dismiss church with property; church must pay presbytery $500,000 over a five year period EPC
2/25/07 Covenant Omaha, NE 706 Missouri Valley congregation voted 469-9 to join EPC; 10/4/07 presbytery voted unanimously to let church leave. On 10/4/07, the presbytery unanimously voted to approve Covenant's affiliation with the EPC and the settlement agreement. The agreement states:
  • Covenant will pay the presbytery $125,000 immediately and $30,000 a year for the next seven years. These funds are to be utilized for the mission activities of the presbytery.
  • The presbytery renounced any claim whatsoever to any of Covenant's property, real or personal.
  • Without in any way conceding the propriety of its actions, Covenant agreed to request dismissal from the presbytery and the presbytery agreed to dismiss Covenant and its ministers to the EPC.
  • A letter was sent to each member of the congregation advising them that if they wished to remain in the PCUSA, they were free to do so.
EPC
2/25/07 Middle Sandy Homeworth, OH 132 Muskingum Valley congregation voted 60-2 to leave PCUSA; second congregational vote on 6/3/07 was 95-2 for dismissal; presbytery dismissed church with property on 7/12/07; church will honor its 2007 mission commitments to the presbytery and take up a "love offering" for the presbytery EPC
3/11/07 Central Huntsville, AL 280 North Alabama congregation voted 142-9 to leave PCUSA; church pay $250,000 to presbytery by end of 2010 EPC
4/22/07 Beverly Heights Mount Lebanon, PA 343 Pittsburgh congregation voted 195-4 to leave the PCUSA; 10/18/07 presbytery voted 174 to dismiss church, with 73 against, and two abstentions, effective immediately; church keeps its name and property, valued at more than $1 million; it will pay presbytery $250,000 over 10 years and forfeit $46,655 in a trust account. EPC
5/6/07 Murphy Murphy, NC 63 Western N.C. congregation voted 37-7 for dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery voted 7/31/07 to dismiss property in exhchange for $10,000 – $2,000 each year for five years EPC
6/3/07 Memorial Park Allison Park, PA 1,675 Pittsburgh congregation voted 951 (91.1%) - 93 (8.9%) to be dismissed from PCUSA; 4 abstentions. Congregation filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment and quiet title Jan. 3 in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. On 1/20/08, voted 664-25 to sever ties with the PCUSA. On 4/17/08 presbytery voted 152-82 to accept a $575,000 settlement from the church that will allow it to leave the denomination and maintain control of its name and the property and buildings EPC
6/10/07 Hillsdale Hillsdale, KS 109 Heartland congregation voted 77-5 to seek dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission rejected the request stating in its report, that it did not complete its consideration of the Hillsdale Church's request "because the stated clerk issued an opinion that stated dismissal could not be made to a transitional presbytery. The Hillsdale Church session was so advised in a meeting on Sept. 9." EPC
6/9/07 Faith Brownsville, TX 54 Mission congregation will give presbytery 10% of the proceeds from expected sale of the church property in next 10 years EPC
6/24/07 First Quincy, IL 400 Great Rivers 215 voted;162 (75%) voted to seek dismissal; 53 (25%) voted to remain; following a recommendation from the presbytery's administrative commission to dissolve the church and retain church property, the congregation voted 124-17 on Aug.12 to immediately disaffiliate with PCUSA, join EPC; the church paid the presbytery $196,000 on Jan. 9, a figure that allows the church to be sole owner of the property and facilities and voted 12/23/07 to change name to Faith Presbyterian Church. EPC
6/24/07 Kishwaukee Community Stillman Valley, IL 407 Blackhawk 253 voted; 251-2 to request dismissal, 252-1 membership in the EPC EPC
6/24/07 Forks of the Brandywine Glenmoore, PA 207 Donegal 139 voted 136-3 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property EPC
6/24/07 Great Valley Malvern, PA 221 Donegal 181 voted 179-2 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property EPC
6/24/07 Upper Octorara Parkesburg, PA 268 Donegal 124 voted 113-11 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property EPC
6/24/07 First Paola, KS 566 Heartland congregation voted 200-81 to seek dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission rejected the request stating in its report that, "After careful consideration of the facts and provisions of the Book of Order that are applicable, it is the decision of the administrative commission that the request of First Presbyterian Church … be denied." On 12/18/07 presbytery voted to defrock the Rev. Kirk Johnston. In November, a group of congregation members left First Presbyterian to create the Lighthouse Presbyterian Church. 315 people became official members of the new church and the EPC on 1/27/08. Johnston is pastor. EPC
6/24/07 North Benton North Benton, OH 189 Eastminster 116 voted: 81 (70%) - 29 to seek dismissal; 78 (67%) - 28 seek membership EPC EPC
7/8/07 Hope Rogue River, OR 88 Cascades congregation voted 65-3 to "realign its membership" to EPC; first test of church working with presbytery's new process to address withdrawing churches EPC
August, 2007 Grace Chapel Madison, Miss. 220 Mississippi The church voted to immediately leave the PCUSA. The Madison County Chancery Court ruled in March the church held a clear title to its property. The church was seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the presbytery from violating a final declaratory judgment that resolved a property ownership lawsuit. Mississippi Presbytery moved the church's request to U.S. District Court, saying there was a federal question about the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said there was no such question. His ruling sends the church's motion back to Madison County Chancery Court. EPC
9/9/07 Peters Creek Venetia, PA 595 Washington 361 voted; 273-86 to leave the PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission recommended that the church be dismissed from the PCUSA to join the EPC; presbytery vote has not been scheduled; on 11/4/07 voted 207-26 with five abstentions to leave the PCUSA without presbytery approval, and to immediately affiliate with EPC EPC
9/23/07 Gashland Kansas City, MO 575 Heartland 333 voting in favor requesting dismissal from PCUSA with its property and 22 voting against; 2 abstentions and 5 ballots being checked on; The presbytery authorized an administrative commission for the church in June. EPC
9/23/07 First Waynesville, NC 164 Western North Carolina voted 68-65 not to request dismissal from PCUSA to the EPC. The church's pastor, the Rev. Josh Cole and five of the church's seven session members, as well as the church treasurer, resigned after the vote. Cole began a start-up EPC church the following Sunday, taking 46 members of the PCUSA congregation with him. By unanimous voice vote on 10/26/07, presbytery commissioners approved the administrative commission's original-jurisdiction powers over the remaining PCUSA church EPC
9/30/07 Londonderry Londonderry, NH 446 Northern New England voted 208-86 to immediately leave the PCUSA. The tally for disaffiliation represented 71% of those voting and 47% of the church's total membership of 446 that is reported on the denomination's Web site. The motion to join New Wineskins Presbytery of the EPC passed by overwhelming majority; church has filed a property ownership lawsuit against Northern New England Presbytery EPC
10/14/07 Fair Oaks Fair Oaks, CA 2,286 Sacramento 1,179 voted to request dismissal and 39 voted to stay in the PCUSA; 3/5/07 church filed a lawsuit against the presbytery seeking quiet title to the church property, along with declaratory and injunctive relief. At 12/4/07 meeting, presbytery voted 146-18 to dismiss church. The church must pay either $250,000 by Jan. 31, 2017, or a "discounted early payment option" totaling $180,000 by June 30, 2008. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento filed a notice of appeal and request for a stay with the Synod of the Pacific. The stay will be enforced until the synod's Permanent Judicial Commission addresses the Westminster Church filing. There is no time frame. EPC
10/14/07 First Roseville, CA 1,143 Sacramento 750 voted to seek dismissal and 10 voted to remain in the PCUSA; 3/5/07 church filed a lawsuit against the presbytery seeking quiet title to the church property, along with declaratory and injunctive relief. At 12/4/07 meeting, presbytery voted 153-11 to dismiss church. The church must pay $160,000 by Jan. 31, 2015. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento filed a notice of appeal and request for a stay with the Synod of the Pacific. The stay will be enforced until the synod's Permanent Judicial Commission addresses the Westminster Church filing. There is no time frame. A judge ruled 4/8/08 in favor of the church. EPC
10/29/07 First Baton Rouge, LA 1,592 South Louisiana voted 422-60 to leave the PCUSA. The vote to join the EPC was 420-60 with two abstentions. In a 55-13 vote Nov. 4, 2006, the presbytery agreed to a stipulated judgment that said the church "holds all property titled in its name in full, complete and unfettered ownership" and that neither the presbytery "nor any person, entity, administrative unit, agency, commission, committee or governing body action on behalf of the Presbytery of South Louisiana or in its stead, or claiming by, through or under the Presbytery of South Louisiana, has any right, title or interest in or to the property, whether in trust or otherwise, nor any right to determine control, directly or indirectly, the use or ownership of the property." EPC
11/18/07 Bay Bay Village, Ohio 2,072 Western Reserve 1,309 ballots were cast. Of those, 1,196 or 91 percent voted for dismissal and 113 or nine percent voted against dismissal. The ballot read "That Bay Presbyterian Church ask to be dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Presbytery of the Western Reserve to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church's New Wineskins Presbytery; and that the session be authorized on behalf of the congregation to take all actions necessary and appropriate in seeking dismissal, including, but not limited to, entering into binding agreements related to pastors, property, mission, per capita, and amending and restating the by-laws." EPC
11/25/07 Timberridge McDonough, GA 350 Greater Atlanta 219 (62.5% of members) voted. 205 members (94%) voted for immediate disaffiliation from the PCUSA and 14 (6%) voted against leaving. Church has offered to settle the litigation – if the presbytery first will consider dismissing the church with its property. Presbytery's administrative commission approved at the presbytery's stated meeting Nov. 27, held its first orientation meeting Dec. 12. independent
12/9/07 Heritage Houston, Texas 512 New Covenant 299 members – or 58 percent of the church's 512 members – voted in favor of seeking dismissal and 63 members – or 12 percent of the church membership – voted against the request EPC
12/16/07 St. Paul’s Somerset, PA 332 Redstone voted 173-10 to request dismissal from the national church with its property. Presbytery voted 48 to 41 on 3/29/08 to grant the church’s request to dismiss the congregation with all its property. The vote lets the church leave with all of its property – real and personal – without paying any money to presbytery. EPC
12/23/07 First Corinth, Miss 465 St. Andrew More than 250 members attended. Of those 246 members or 94% voted to request dismissal, 14 members or 5% voted against the request, and two members abstained. Presbytery commissioners approved -- without a dissenting vote -- a settlement agreement: in exchange for being dismissed with its property, the church will pay $150,000 to the presbytery. The first $25,000 installment is due within 30 days, with five more $25,000 payments to be made annually by the anniversary of the first payment. EPC
1/27/08 Sierra Nevada City, Calif. 508 Sacramento 342 or 68 % of the church membership, were in attendance and cast ballots. Of those, 332 members or 97.2 % voted for seeking dismissal and 10 members or 2.8 % voted against asking the presbytery to let it leave the PCUSA with its property for the EPC.. EPC
2/3/08 Covenant Fort Myers, Fla. 1,300 Peace River 76%, or 762 people, of the 1,000-plus active members of the church present voted to request dismissal because they believed the PCUSA was taking an anti-Biblical direction. Presbytery voted 2/14/08: 1. Everyone except a handful of Covenant's leaders voted to declare the church was divided. 2. A vote to dismiss the entire congregation from the denomination failed 98-16. 3. voted unanimously to form an administrative commission to work with pastors, elders and members of the church who want to leave the denomination and those who wish to stay. More than 300 PCUSA supporters will remain at Covenant and those individuals who no longer agree with the PCUSA denomination are free to leave. The Rev. Dr. Bill Stephens, senior pastor and head of staff , most of the elders, virtually the entire staff and more than 1,100 of the church's 1,340 members left the church and the denomination March 21. Stephens led the inaugural worship services for New Hope Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday, March 23. Approximately 1,150 members formed New Hope Presbyterian Church and approximately 500 remained at Covenant. EPC
2/17/08 Fourth Friendship, PA 40 Pittsburgh voted 27-2 to ask the presbytery for permission to leave the PCUSA for the EPC. The church didn't ask to keep its property, and the pastor, the Rev. David Schrader, will stay in the PCUSA instead of leaving with the congregation. EPC
5/4/08 First Thibodaux, La. 91 South Louisiana Forty-seven of the 91 voting members were in attendance. All 47 members voted unanimously by ballot to have the church leave the PCUSA and by voice to seek EPC membership. The church was received into the EPC the next day and assigned to the New Wineskins transitional presbytery. EPC
6/1/08 College Corner (aka First United) College Corner, Ohio 130 Whitewater Valley voted 80 (or 82 %) to 17 (18 %) to request dismissal; about 77% of the membership took part in the vote. the church has filed a property ownership lawsuit and obtained a temporary restraining order against the presbytery. EPC
11/2/08 First Fresno, CA 917 San Joaquin voted 543-10 to leave PCUSA and transfer to EPC EPC
11/2/08 Trinity Clovis, CA 496 San Joaquin voted 264-7 to leave PCUSA and transfer to EPC EPC
10/12/08 Sunset Portland, OR 2,000 Cascades figure of $428,000 over a number of years was in a jointly approved agreement that was presented to the presbytery, which voted separately on the two cases during a meeting on Nov. 7 and 8 EPC
N/A Kenton Portland, OR 62 Cascades church pledged to donate $7,500 to the presbytery, payable at $1,500 a year for five years. EPC
N/A Covenant West Lafayette, Ind. 1,165 Wabash Valley trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church EPC
N/A First Nappanee,  Ind. 99 Wabash Valley trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church EPC
N/A Attica Attica, Ind. 90 Wabash Valley trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church EPC
N/A First Frankfort, Ind. 303 Wabash Valley trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church EPC
11/16/08 First Kokomo, Ind. 556 Wabash Valley voted 270 to 38 to disaffiliate from PCUSA and seek membership in the EPC EPC
* numbers are from Layman Online articles; most taken from denominational statistics, a few numbers came from the pastor of the church.

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