New Wineskins Convocation
Final report 'is
all about Jesus,'
chairman of strategy team says
By Craig M.
Kibler
Staff Writer
The Layman
Online
Monday, February
12, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. –
The final report of the New Wineskins Association of Churches' strategy
team was written from the perspective that "each of us had grown
tired of the talking and never taking concrete actions that could
fundamentally change the direction of the Presbyterian Church (USA)."
Winter
convocation scheduled Keeping in mind the
symbolism of Reformation Day, leaders of the New Wineskins
Association of Churches said "the 'new thing' will begin"
during its Winter Convocation on Oct. 29-30 in Fair Oaks, Calif.
The event will be held at:
Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church
11427 Fair Oaks Blvd
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
Phone: (916) 967-4784
Fax: (916) 961-7932
Web site: http://www.fopc.org |
In presenting the
final report to more than 500 convocation participants Feb. 9 in
the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, the Rev. Randy Jenkins, the
chairman of the team, said, "We worked together with one thing in
mind: It's all about Jesus. This is his church and we are his bride for
whom he died."
The desire of the nine-member strategy team, he said, has been "to
see the purposes of our Sovereign Lord achieved for our heavenly Father
and his Son glorified."
Jenkins said the goal was to "produce a document of substance"
that was not a violation of the vows for ordination. He said, however,
that "it is appropriate for the Body of Christ to ask what is best
for the church."
The report "serves the purposes of Christ and fulfills all that we
have been trained and equipped to do to serve Christ," Jenkins
said.
The strategy team looked upon the work as "a labor of love to
serve the church in this capacity," he said. "It's not as if
we came into this recently. We have toiled for years in the trenches of
renewal organizations and have seen the erosion of orthodoxy" in
the denomination.
The report, Jenkins said, provides options for those who wish to
disaffiliate from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and for those "who
want to stay and continue renewal within the PCUSA." It addresses
the concerns of four groups:
- Those who want to leave now.
- Those who think they most likely will leave in the future.
- Those who have not yet discerned what path to follow.
- Those who want to stay in the PCUSA.
The Rev. Dean Weaver, co-moderator of the New Wineskins Association
of Churches, said "there is a great desire to see a reunion of
like-minded, evangelical, missional Presbyterians."
He then outlined the plan recommended by the strategy team. That plan
calls for a realignment by New Wineskins churches with the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church "to fulfill our vision of becoming a missional
force for Jesus. Initially, churches will be received into a
non-geographic transitional presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian
Church.
Other aspects of the plan are as follows:
"At its June 20-23, 2007 General Assembly, the EPC will vote on a
proposal to authorize the establishment of transitional non-geographic
presbyteries to receive groups of churches into membership. Once
authorized, a 'General Assembly Commission' will be established and
empowered to oversee transitional presbyteries.
"The NWAC should then petition the EPC to create a non-geographic
transitional NWAC Presbytery ("NWEPC") and authorize it to
immediately receive NWAC churches into membership in that presbytery.
Subject to the Principles of Transitional Membership that follow, the
key points include:
- "The NWEPC will be self-governing under the NWAC
Constitution. For example, it shall have authority to ordain,
install, receive and dismiss pastors.
- "NWEPC pastors and staff shall be immediately eligible to
participate in the pension and medical plans of the EPC.
- "Each NWEPC church will own its own property and will elect
and ordain elders and deacons from its own congregational members.
- "The NWEPC shall have the authority to plant churches.
"A 'General Assembly Commission' composed of EPC and NWEPC
members will begin to work collaboratively on the strategy and actions
that will establish an evangelical missional stream of Reformed
Presbyterianism. We believe this will become the new thing the Father
has ordained, and we have been led by the Spirit to pursue. Together, we
will lift up his Son, Jesus Christ, to a lost and dying world, so that
God may be glorified. Hallelujah!"
This "new thing," Weaver said, "will be evangelical,
missional, Reformed and Presbyterian. We believe there is going to be a
larger confluence of evangelical, Reformed Presbyterians coming
together."
He then outlined the principles of membership in the Evangelical
Presbyterian Church, as presented in the plan. They are:
- "All NWAC churches and pastors entering the NWEPC
non-geographic presbytery of the EPC must affirm without reservation
the 'Essentials of Our Faith' as set forth in the EPC Book of
Order and affirm the New Wineskins' 'Essential Tenets of Our
Reformed Faith' without scruple, as well as 'The Declaration of
Ethical Imperatives.' The Westminster Confession and Catechisms must
also be acknowledged as the sole subordinate confessional standards
of the EPC.
- "The NWEPC presbytery may ordain and call ministers subject
to the requirement that ministers affirm without reservation the
'Essentials of Our Faith' as set forth in the EPC Book of Order
and acknowledge the Westminster Confession and Catechisms to be the
sole subordinate confessional standards of the EPC. The NWEPC
presbytery may also dissolve relationships with ministers.
- "NWEPC churches will be encouraged to establish
relationships, such as Ministry Networks, with existing EPC and
other NWAC congregations within their geographic areas to engage in
cooperative ministry and mission.
- "NWEPC ministers and staff members of NWEPC churches will
be eligible for EPC benefits programs subject to the limitations and
exclusions of the retirement and medical plan documents.
- "NWEPC congregations will be asked to participate in the
'Per Member Asking' to the best of their ability. The NWEPC may
establish additional "askings" for its own operations.
- "Each church in the NWEPC has ownership of its own property
as does each church in the EPC.
- "No judicatory of the EPC shall assume any liability or
responsibility for resolution of local property disputes arising
from efforts by NWAC churches to disaffiliate from the PCUSA.
- "The NWEPC transitional presbytery structure and process is
in no way intended to discourage or preclude NWAC congregations from
seeking and obtaining direct transfer and reception into full
membership in the EPC."
Weaver outlined several advantages of this transitional presbytery,
such as:
- "Membership in the NWEPC presbytery allows existing EPC
presbyteries and NWAC churches the time and opportunity to fully
assess our mutual expectations and alignment. We will begin
collaborating on a process to discern our alignment doctrinally,
missionally, legislatively and financially before committing to full
membership in the EPC or the new thing that God brings forth from
the collaborative efforts of the EPC General Assembly Commission.
- "NWEPC congregations and ministers may request dismissal
from the NWEPC transitional presbytery at any time according to and
following the provisions of the Book of Government including 5-6 and
the NWAC Constitution.
- "To be received into full membership in the EPC, NWEPC
teaching and ruling elders must meet existing requirements to
receive and adopt the Westminster Confession and Catechisms as
contained in the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures.
Examinations in such cases will be based on views and beliefs as
provided for in the EPC Book of Government 13-5 and 13-10 (see
also13-2 and 13-8). Ministers and elders of NWEPC churches will have
existing presbytery members and resources made available to them to
assist in preparation for meeting these standards. Subscription to
the 'Essentials of Our Faith' is required without exception for
ministers, elders and deacons. At the conclusion of the transitional
period, any NWEPC congregation or minister not received into full
membership in the EPC or the new thing shall be dismissed."
The next steps, Weaver said, is to inform the congregation,
establish the ownership of your property, and prepare to disaffiliate
from the PCUSA and join the New Wineskins Association of Churches "as
soon as the way is clear."
Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications for the
Presbyterian Lay Committee and Executive Editor of The Layman and The
Layman Online. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org.
|