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Per capita How do you compel what's voluntary? February 12, 2002 Scioto Presbytery's action to compel churches to pay per capita and to penalize them if they don't puzzles me. How can a presbytery require that which the denomination calls voluntary? And how can a Presbytery penalize a church for failing to do what the denomination has declared is voluntary? Are we a connectional church or not? Ken Kettlewell Springfield, Ohio Scioto Valley Presbytery's efforts to compel per-capita February 8, 2002 Has the PCUSA leadership learned nothing from history? The issue of compelling taxes, which is essentially what the per-capita payments are, from churches were settled long ago in America. It is against the law (both church and civil), against the Constitution (our own and the United States), it is against tradition and PCUSA policy. And it is stupid. The whole thing smacks of an "established church" able to compel payments from individuals for its own purposes. There is a significant difference, however, between churches and the government. In churches, we can vote with our feet – right out the door of the denomination to one which understands its proper role with respect to its own membership. Somewhere in the PCUSA leadership there must surely be some individuals who realize where their utter disregard for the basic precepts of Christianity and our own denomination are driving the Church. Where are the leaders at the national level who can and will show some sense of reality? They are slowly destroying my church. Jack Kime First Presbyterian Church Collinsville, Ill. Presbytery votes to compel churches to pay per-capita February 8, 2002 Another pathetic attempt of a dead, irrelevant, church attempting to intimidate the true church. Per-capita has always been voluntary. That's the constitution. Back in the late 1980s, Blackhawk Presbytery unconstitutionally voted to make per-capita mandatory because our session (I was on the session at the time) withheld a portion of our per-capita. We went through an Administrative Commission, dancing around legal mumbo-jumbo for about a year. In the end, we did in fact withhold a portion of our per-capita. I personally am withholding my per-capita today. Money they do understand. Reformed theology they don't. Dick Lewis Elder Bethany Presbyterian Church Loves Park, Ill. Per-capita increase is the wrong issue for Louisville February 1, 2002 Instead of raising the per capita, I suggest the General Assembly Executive Commitee look at why we are losing 10,000 members and the witholdings are forecast to double. Maybe, just maybe, it is because the body of the church does not believe in the leadership. Mike Wade Vestavia Hills, Ala. Cut costs, don't raise per capita February 1, 2002 Raising per capita again? It doesn't help the denomination when its members are suspicious that their per capita is being used for everything BUT mission and the work of Christ's Church. So, when we hear that per capita dues continue to spiral upward, what are we to think? More people want to withhold their per capita and it makes it harder (for especially small churches) to ask people to ante up. Perhaps we need to cut costs more - say, about 50 jobs in Louisville. Rev. David Brownstein PCUSA must get rid of 'wolves' in leadership April 3, 2000 When I first came into the church back in the early '70s, we were throwing out some of our best evangelical men for their firm belief that Scripture forbid the ordination of women. We lost, I believe, the very foundation of our church when we lost these men of God, who put their convictions ahead of church policy, pension and whatever. Now we have "ReImagining," "Sophia," "Homo-Lesbian," blasphemy against God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit - you name it. I feel certain that God a long time ago wrote "Ichabod" over our denomination and unless we can find a way to force out of leadership these "wolves in sheep's clothing" that mark will continue to shame us - as a denomination and as individuals. I believe one way to fight is to withhold all monies from the denomination, except support for evangelical movements. I know none of our money will go into the coffers of the church until all heresy and blasphemy has been eradicated. R. Glen Traver Make per capita a tax, membership roll declines March 23, 2000 If the General Assembly, or a presbytery, taxes churches for the per-capita assessment, then I will, as a matter of conscience, withdraw my membership from my church. I will continue to attend, sing in the choir, and attend other church activities even though I may not be able to hold an office in my church. In view of what the Presbyterian Church has done since at least the Angela Davis event in the 1960s, it has been more and more difficult for me to maintain membership in the Presbyterian Church, in which I was brought up and which I admire for its intellectual heritage. I keep hoping I will see a swing in the pendulum and that the church will return to a more Biblically based foundation, but I doubt that will happen in my lifetime, if at all. Arthur R. Abel Youth event represents poor PCUSA stewardship September 8, 1999 I am distressed to see that once again our tithes and offerings are being used to try to destroy our youth (PCUSA youth epiphany). Is it any wonder that we have lost faith in the Presbyterian Church (USA)? A small portion of my tithes and offerings now go to current expenses and mission projects that are controlled by our church, but the lion's share go to other evangelical Christian organizations that I can trust to sow seeds for the Kingdom! I am an elder, and I advocate not paying the per capita assessment until the PCUSA demonstrates it is a faithful steward of church funds. George Pasquet Agrees with Highland decision Highland Presbyterian Church in New Castle, Pa. voted today (June 20, 1999) to withhold funding per capita and mission funding to the GA because the elders look upon the remarks from the GAC concerning Women of Faith awards as a "slap in the face." I fully agree with the motion made from this church. I sincerely wish the elders in the Burgaw Presbyterian Church were as attuned to these matters as Highland Presbyterian Church. Margaret F. Williams, Burgaw, NC Kudos to New Castle Praise the Lord for churches like the New Castle, Pa., session which voted to withhold funds and take a firm stand. We, who believe what the Bible says, and want to bring honor and glory to our Savior's Name, should back this church and do the same thing. What a sad state we are in. Do you truly believe the Bible and what God says in it? Well, it's time to take a stand. Our denomination is being destroyed by Satan himself and we are sitting back allowing this to happen. Carol and Rocco Fannelli Session to withhold funds In response to the GAC's narrow vote to uphold the Women of Faith awards, the session of Highland Presbyterian Church, New Castle, PA., in a special meeting today [June 20], voted to withhold all per capita and mission funds to the General Assembly. We're certain other sessions will follow our lead. The elders of Highland feel this award, intended to undermine the constitution of the church, is a slap in their face. Highland had recently restored mission giving to GA last year. That trust has been clearly betrayed. The "pastoral letter" was anything but pastoral. The elders understood that letter to say, "We (GAC) know we made people angry with this award, tough, we're not going to do anything about it!" Tim McQuade, Pastor Highland Presbyterian Church, New Castle, Pa. Member agrees with action As a member of First Presbyterian Church of Pearland, I wholeheartedly agree with the stand that our Session took in redirecting funds. I want to be a part of a church group that has a definite sense of right and wrong and bases that on scripture, not on the latest poll taken of any activist group. (Mrs.) Dale E. Pillow Kudos for Pearland Church Thank God for FPC Pearland. We need many more. Roger Winter |
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