Plan for transitional, non-geographic presbyteries recommended for approval by General Assembly By Craig M. Kibler Staff Writer The Layman Online Wednesday, May 9, 2007 Three key committees of the Office of the General Assembly in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church have approved and recommended that commissioners in June vote to form transitional, non-geographic presbyteries within the denomination. The approval of the plan during the EPC General Assembly on June 20-23 in Denver will open the door for the New Wineskins Association of Churches in the Presbyterian Church (USA) to petition the EPC General Assembly to create a New Wineskins presbytery, overseen by a General Assembly Commission, that will be authorized to "immediately receive" New Wineskins churches into that presbytery. The New Wineskins Association of Churches unanimously voted during its convocation in February to further the Kingdom of God as "a missional church and connectional body" through what was termed "a realignment" with the EPC. That realignment would include a transitional presbytery that, according to the New Wineskins Association, would include the following four points: It will be self-governing under the New Wineskins Constitution. It shall have authority, for example, to ordain, install, receive and dismiss pastors. New Wineskins pastors and staff shall be eligible to participate immediately in the EPC's pension and medical plans. Each New Wineskins church will own its own property and will elect and ordain elders and deacons from the members of its own congregations. The presbytery shall have the authority to plant churches. In addition, a General Assembly Commission – comprised of New Wineskins and EPC members – will 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," the New Wineskins Association stated. The EPC's Finance Committee, Executive Committee and Committee on Administration approved the plan during its April meeting, according to Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Jeremiah, stated clerk of the denomination. "At these meetings," Jeremiah said in an "EP News" newsletter, "key decisions were made that shape the agenda for our General Assembly. Let me say that the commitment to and passion for Christ and His church displayed by the members of Finance, Exec and COA is a blessing and encouragement to me." He said the committees spent "a significant amount of time" on the transitional presbyteries proposal before it was finalized. In addition, he said, "two additional documents" were considered: 1) An "Application for Transitional Membership" for those churches seeking to join a transitional presbytery; and 2) A "Transitional Presbytery Commissions" proposal, which describes the make-up and responsibilities of the commissions. Both of these documents, Jeremiah said, "were revised and recommended for approval by the General Assembly." Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications/Executive Editor of The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org.

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