East African Presbyterians sever ties with 2nd PCUSA presbytery By John H. Adams The Layman Online Friday, December 3, 2004 The Presbyterian Church of East Africa, which previously broke off its relationship with the National Capital Presbytery in the Presbyterian Church (USA), has also severed its ties with the Detroit Presbytery because of its support for ordaining practicing homosexuals. The Presbyterian Church of East Africa "has to terminate the partnership … because we are not yoked together by the cross of him who emptied himself for the human race," the Rev. Dr. David Gitthi, moderator of the fast-growing East African denomination, said in a letter to Edward M. Koster, stated clerk of the Detroit Presbytery. "We had hoped that you would reconsider your stand on this issue [the ordination of practicing homosexuals] and all indication is that you want to promote that ungodly act in the Church, the Church that Jesus purified by his blood." "We find it unfortunate for you to question the inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God," Gitthi added. "This contradicts the message that the Western missionaries gave to us when our people first heard the gospel from them. They told us that the Word of God is an inspiration of God – it is his breath." Gitthi announced shortly before the 216th General Assembly, which met in Richmond June 26-July 2, that the Presbyterian Church of East Africa had severed its relationship with the National Capital Presbytery. He attended the Richmond, Va., meeting of the General Assembly, but was allowed no opportunity to address the assembly or deliver a prayer. Denominational officials and former Moderator Susan R. Andrews, a member of the National Capital Presbytery, tried unsuccessfully to repair the damage. The Presbyterian Church of East Africa had a partnership with the Detroit Presbytery through its East African Thika Presbytery. "In the presence of some Thika Presbytery officials, I did talk with the Detroit moderator when she and … three [others] visited my office not a long time ago," Gitthi said his Oct. 6 letter to Koster. "To our surprise, the moderator questioned our intended decision to terminate the partnership for such a 'small thing' like the issue of homosexuality yet we are able to relate on other bigger issues." "I did tell her that, what she calls a 'small thing' for us is as big as 'Mt. Kilimanjaro,' which is 19,000 feet above sea level," he added. "Ours is a very evangelical Church and we embrace the Bible in totality and we are not ready to exchange our faith with dollars. This is the understanding we had when we left each other."

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