Specific charges detailed in complaint against pastor By John H. Adams The Layman Online Thursday, March 9, 2006 One of the specific charges by an investigating committee of the Presbytery of the Pacific against Dr. David Manock, the ousted associate pastor of Hollywood Presbyterian Church, is that he told the congregation's elders that they were to be "spiritual leaders" and that they "should abandon the 'school board' paradigm with its focus on organizational review and approval." Manock, who faces trial on a charge of violating his ordination vows, allegedly called for a transition from the session serving as a review panel to "first and foremost a spiritual ministry." By that action, the accusation says, Manock "disregarded the Book of Order and hindered the session members in the performance of their duties." The accusing document cited an e-mail dated June 27, 2004, in which Manock allegedly told the elders, "You are not asked to assume a managerial position, function or burden for a given area which must remain upon the shoulders of our staff people. We ask you to simply come alongside of the staff person to be their friend in ministry, advisor, resource person, and advocate on the session. The actual daily administration and management must always remain in the hands of the session." Manock's statement in that e-mail "conflicts with the duties of the session as found in the Book of Order G-10.0102," the accusation says. Manock was also accused of telling some staff members not to speak to session members about budget issues. One of the precipitating causes for the initial complaints by a few members and employees of Hollywood Presbyterian Church was a deficit in 2004. While most of the people complaining acknowledged that Manock and Alan Meenan, the senior minister at Hollywood, were committed evangelicals who were faithful in the preaching and teaching, they blamed them for the shortfall and accused them of making changes without considering their opposition to them. Those changes included an emphasis on mission and outreach. In the complaint against Manock, who was Meenan's top associate, Manock was also accused of "making decisions unilaterally instead of consulting with the session or allowing the session members to make the decision." The complaint included reference to a "decision that was made on March 3 to hold the regular March monthly meeting and special budget meeting on March 19 and failing to inform the Session Processing Committee ahead of time. This did not allow for the SPC to meet. Moreover, there was no time to consider that perhaps too much was on the agenda for one time period." Meenan has also been accused of violating his ordination vows, but The Layman Online has not received a copy of the complaint against him.

Respond to this article

Home · Archives · The Layman · Subscribe to The Layman · PLC Publications Presbyterian Lay Committee · Online book reviews · Feedback · Links