Presbytery considers changing its rule on per-capita payments The Layman Online Thursday, December 11, 2003 The Presbytery of Pittsburgh is considering whether to continue its policy of remitting the full request of per-capita support for the Presbyterian Church (USA) – even if some its congregations do not pay their apportionments. The proposal was introduced as new business at the meeting of Pittsburgh Presbytery on Dec. 4. It was referred to the presbytery's council for a recommendation that will go before the presbytery at its February meeting. The proposal, as presented by two ministers in the presbytery, the Rev. Donald Dawson and the Rev. Douglas Pratt, specifically calls for a one-year suspension [2004] of a policy in the "Manual of Pittsburgh Presbytery." The policy currently says, "Presbytery is obligated to pay its full per-capita assessment of the General Assembly and the Synod whether or not it collects the full amount from the particular churches." While the manual uses the term "assessment," per-capita payments by local congregations are not considered a tax or a legal obligation. Presbyterian law says per-capita payments are voluntary and that no congregation may be forced to pay them or be punished for a failure to pay them. A two-thirds vote will be required to suspend that policy. The proposal seeks to honor the decision of some sessions that do not – as a matter of conscience – pay their full per-capita requests because of their disagreement with denominational policies and actions. A number of presbyteries do not remit the full amount of money apportioned to presbyteries to support the denomination. In 2002, nearly 25 percent of the presbyteries sent the denomination less than the full amount apportioned to their congregations. The Presbytery of Washington, also in Pennsylvania, has a conscience clause in its collection of per capita to support the denomination. If a congregation does not remit the full amount of its apportionment, a group from the presbytery visits the church to discuss the matter. If it is ascertained that presbytery's payment of the congregation's per capita would violate the congregation's intent, the Presbytery of Washington does not make up the difference.

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