By Michael Gryboski, Christian Post.
The Rev. Charles Hasty, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Georgia, has announced his resignation from the congregation he’s served for 13 years after members narrowly defeated a motion to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Hasty announced his resignation Monday evening after congregants voted 266-146 last month to leave PCUSA over theological differences; the total was just eight votes shy of the necessary two-thirds majority needed to pass.
JoAnna Williams, administrative assistant for Hasty, directed The Christian Post to a local news article wherein quotes from a letter Hasty wrote explaining his reasoning was published.
“Undoubtedly, there is more work to be done; however, the work God is calling this church to do will be under different leadership,” said Hasty to the Ledger-Enquirer.
“My heart, like all of yours, is broken in the wake of the fractured vote for gracious dismissal and the resulting conflicted state of our relationships within First Presbyterian and between First Presbyterian and Flint River Presbytery.”
In April the 900-member First Presbyterian voted on whether or not to remain affiliated with PCUSA, due to the liberal theological direction of the Mainline denomination.
Had the measure passed, First Presbyterian would have not only disaffiliated from PCUSA, but also joined the newer, more conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians.
The week after the vote, about 70 members of First Presbyterian left to form their own congregation, named Grace Church of Columbus.
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Well, I hope the louisville sluggers are happy, because they now have 1/2 empty church building and no pastor, and I’ll also bet the 70+ that left were the ones paying most of the bills anyway.
I am a member of this church and as I stated in a prior comment, I voted for gracious dismissal as did my wife and three teenaged kids. Chuck Hasty is a good friend of mine and his decision to leave only increases my respect for him as a pastor and as a human being. While I hate to see what will happen to First Presbyterian Church here in Columbus, I am excited to learn more about the newly formed Grace Presbyterian Church, now aligned with ECO. I hope and pray that my friend Chuck is called to lead this newly formed congregation.
While writing this comment my wife just informed me that our outstanding Youth Minster, Nathan Sautter has just announced his departure from First Presbyterian Church effective the end of this month. Sad but not surprising.
I do not live in Columbus but I have visited the church and met Rev. Hasty and listened to his sermons. Great preacher of the Word and a welcoming pastor. I bet those who left are the ones who hunger and thirst for the unadulterated Word of God. Those are staying with PCUSA are sinking in deep mire. Godspeed for you who left the compromising worldly group.
The temptation for this congregation will be to call a new pastor immediately. They should not. They need a long period of prayer and reflection. What they need most is a good “John the Baptist” . They need to take a good look at themselves both inside and out. They need to place their faith and trust in the Holy Spirit.
These resignations and departures are the necessary response to PC(USA)’s divagation on marriage. This should rise to flood tide as more take action to separate themselves from a denomination that is despoiling its heritage. No one should look back with regret. The land of promise lies before you.
Seems like a hasty decision.
I am not a church member, but have family that are members that left after the vote . I have heard chuck preach many times and like him very much as a preacher for the Lord and as a good man.