Session of Hollywood church asks pastors to tender resignations By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, October 3, 2005 Five months after an administrative commission from the Presbytery of the Pacific forced the senior minister and his top associate to leave their posts at First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood, the session called for a congregational vote to ask the ministers to tender their resignations. In its entirety, a brief statement written after a Sept. 29 meeting of the session and commission said, "Last night we met with Pastors [Alan] Meenan and [David]Manock. We the Session made the very difficult decision that returning the pastors is not in the best interest of the church or the pastors. We therefore asked for their resignations. A congregational meeting is set for October 9th for the purpose of presenting the AC results and to take Q & A." Neither minister was allowed to say much on his behalf. Both were interrogated according to questions selected by the administrative commission. Meenan was not allowed to read a prepared statement. Manock insisted on his right to speak to the elders, but was cut short after about a minute and escorted from the meeting, which lasted until about 3 a.m. "Another great church has fallen," said one elder, who asked not to be quoted by name because of his concern that the issue would become even more divisive. Several elders and the clerk of the Hollywood session had resigned previously because of their disagreement with the administrative commission. The session statement did not specify why the resignations were being requested or what conclusions the administrative commission reached. Several details had not been ironed out – including the severance package for both of the ministers. Meanwhile, both Meenan and Manock, who are evangelicals, have begun independent ministries that they have introduced on Web sites. Meenan has started a teaching ministry titled "The Word is Out," a multi-year Bible study that includes courses in the Old Testament and New Testament. He says the course is intended "to provide the student with a rewarding knowledge of the Bible so that he/she will be a more effective witness for Jesus Christ." The classes will be taught on Wednesday nights in eight-week segments that will begin on Oct. 12 at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn on Vineland Avenue in North Hollywood. Manock has begun The Titus Walk Ministry, which, he says, is intended "to interact with people who are seeking to know God, to help people grow in intimacy with God, to encourage people who are struggling with faith issues, to comfort people who have been wounded in their faith journey and to empower people who serve others in their faith." Meenan and Manock both posted personal biographies on the Web sites – with no mention of Hollywood Presbyterian Church. The Presbytery of the Pacific voted on May 3 to appoint an administrative commission to oversee the work at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. That recommendation was based on complaints made privately by a small minority of the congregation's members. At that same meeting, the voting members of the presbytery affirmed the ministry of Meenan and Manock. However, at the conclusion of the presbytery meeting, in the early hours of May 4, the newly appointed administrative commission presented Meenan and Manock a letter ordering them to go on paid administrative leave, clear out their offices by noon that day and have no contact with the congregation's members or staff. On June 26, the two ministers returned to attend Sunday worship services, receiving standing ovations, after their supporters met Book of Order requirements to secure a stay of enforcement of the imposed leaves of absence. However, the stated clerks of the presbytery and the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii quickly ruled the petition invalid, and Meenan and Manock attended no more services at Hollywood. Hollywood Presbyterian Church has been one of the citadels of evangelical preaching and ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Before the Presbytery of the Pacific became involved became involved in the congregation, membership was listed at nearly 3,000. Several members have said that attendance seems to have plummeted by about 30 percent and contributions between 30 percent and 40 percent.

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