“At the presbytery meeting, Friendship offered a counter proposal to the presbytery’s motion to dismiss the church without property in the form of a substitute motion with an offer of a payment of $191,000 over three years. The figure represented more than 10 percent of the total value of the church’s assets, per capita for three years and repayment of a $10,000 grant from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). The total amount offered surpassed the “tithe” of 10 percent of a church’s value suggested in the gracious separation agreement.”

Despite its efforts to provide a satisfactory counter offer, a Florida congregation has been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA) without its property.

Friendship Presbyterian Church, located in Hialeah, Fla., was dismissed to ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians during the June 3 meeting of the Presbytery of Tropical Florida (PTF), which rejected an offer of $191,000 from the congregation to retain its property.

The 90-member congregation, which holds services in Spanish and English and is comprised primarily of adults of Hispanic origin, will be allowed to use the property rent-free for one year while it makes the transition to another place of worship.

Friendship had a congregational meeting June 8 and voted to accept the terms of dismissal.

“We unanimously approved that if we have to go this route then we will go,” said Winston Sosa, commissioned lay pastor (CLP) for Friendship. “We made an offer that was simply rejected for no reason at all. There was no explanation given. It was a decision made by the presbytery, not us.

“If we have to vacate the property for a little while or forever we’re willing to do that, but we’re not going back to the PCUSA.”

A counter offer

At the presbytery meeting, Friendship offered a counter proposal to the presbytery’s motion to dismiss the church without property in the form of a substitute motion with an offer of a payment of $191,000 over three years. The figure represented more than 10 percent of the total value of the church’s assets, per capita for three years and repayment of a $10,000 grant from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). The total amount offered surpassed the “tithe” of 10 percent of a church’s value suggested in the gracious separation agreement.

The motion was voted down by a 71-30 margin, leaving the congregation organized in 1960 to depart the PCUSA for a new home in ECO without a church facility for worship after a year’s time.

Amalie Ash, presbytery administrator for PTF, responded to an email from The Layman about the offer and vote to dismiss the congregation without property by simply noting that “the offer was not rejected” and “that is the way the members of the Presbytery of Tropical Florida voted.”

“We’re going through a difficult time, but we will continue fighting the good fight,” Sosa explained. “For some reason unknown to me, it seems as if we were singled out and delayed (in the dismissal process). We thought we’d be part of a larger group of churches to be released, but we were left behind as (the presbytery) changed the procedure.”

The Presbytery of Tropical Florida released nine churches in May 2012, and a 10^th was granted its exit in October 2013.

Going and coming

The Friendship congregation, labeled as conservative in religious beliefs, has expressed concern with the PCUSA’s theological posture through the years, sustaining a view of Scripture interpretation compatible with the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy. It has displayed disagreement with the PCUSA’s ordination standards that allow practicing homosexuals to hold the positions of pastors, elders and deacons. As a result of such disagreements, the congregation voted unanimously to seek dismissal from the national denomination.

Read More

Read other articles on churches leaving the PCUSA here, here, here, here, and here.