Exodus of churches, members from the PCUSA The Layman Online Thursday, July 26, 2007 Charts Churches leaving the PCUSA Churches seeking property only. Note: These charts reflect only those congregations that have notified The Layman Online of their individual cases. Other property resources The Layman Online's archive of property articles The Layman Online's Legal Resource Databank. Twenty-five congregations either have left the Presbyterian Church (USA) or have voted to leave since the approval of the PUP report in June 2006 by the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), according to reports received by The Layman Online. Legal Resource Service In order to help equip churches facing legal matters and to inform churches of legal matters pertaining to property, the Presbyterian Lay Committee has established a Legal Resource Service. This service is not offering or rendering legal advice or opinions, but is offered simply for informational purposes. Individual congregations seeking such advice must consult with a local attorney. The Legal Resource Service can provide congregations with: Pastoral information regarding church property in general. Information for pastoral discussion as a congregation goes through the discernment process of determining whether to remain in the Presbyterian Church (USA) or to seek disaffiliation. Specific information about legal matters and/or an attorney, including a nationwide list of attorneys whose field of practice includes church property law and related banking issues. This may be used as a potential resource for congregations seeking the advice of an attorney to help them protect their property from seizure by their respective denominations, as well as securing loans for that property. An archive of litigation filings for attorneys. For more information, call the Presbyterian Lay Committee at (828) 758-8716. Since Dec. 2, 2001, 38 congregations have left or have voted to leave the PCUSA, according to reports received by The Layman Online. A number of other congregations have sought to be declared the owner of their property, while remaining in the PCUSA. The approval of the report by the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity keeps the current ordination standards in the PCUSA's Constitution, but allows those who choose not to obey them to declare them to be non-essential. Officials in many of the congregations point to the PUP report as the "precipitating event," with many saying that they began to more fully educate their congregations on the issues facing the denomination and what some termed the "sense of disconnect that was going on." Other said they felt that the PCUSA was walking away from them, rather than the other way around. This year may see even more congregations leaving the denomination, since a growing number of congregations may decide to join a transitional, non-geographic presbyteries approved by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church during its General Assembly on June 20-23. In February, the New Wineskins Association of Churches – a group of more than 180 congregations within the PCUSA – unanimously voted to further the Kingdom of God as "a missional church and connectional body" through what was termed "a realignment" with the EPC. The approval by the EPC of the transitional, non-geographic presbyteries' proposal opened the door to a New Wineskins-EPC Presbytery, overseen by a General Assembly Commission, that will be authorized to "immediately receive" New Wineskins churches into that presbytery.

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