The issues that brought about Brookdale’s decision to leave the denomination revolved around the PCUSA’s reluctance to proclaim the Bible as the Word of God and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

A Missouri congregation has disaffiliated from the Presbyterian Church (USA), though it is unclear whether there could be legal repercussions from the move.

Brookdale Presbyterian Church, a 320-member congregation founded in 1917 in St. Joseph, Mo., 50 miles north of Kansas City, took steps to disaffiliate from the PCUSA and Heartland Presbytery when members unanimously voted to approve separating to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) during an Aug. 25, 2013, meeting.

The Rev. Joseph Pallikkathayil, interim pastor for Brookdale since Feb. 10, 2013, said the session tried to follow Heartland Presbytery’s gracious separation process to seek dismissal, but the Administrative Commission (AC) made the process difficult and posed financial terms the congregation could not meet.

“The relationship between the session and the AC was intense,” he said. “The session sought an amicable separation, but the AC from the presbytery made it so difficult.”

Seeking dismissal

The Brookdale session sought dismissal from the presbytery with property and blessing two years ago, but was not allowed to leave without paying a hefty sum of money, Pallikkathayil explained. Had the national denomination remained faithful to the Bible and its teachings, such action might not have been necessary.

Pallikkathayil said the Administrative Commission from Heartland made a financial proposal of more than $300,000 on May 22, 2013, that Brookdale’s session refused.

“The church did not have that kind of money, so it decided to disaffiliate,” he said.

Even after the church voted to disaffiliate, the Heartland AC made another financial proposal Aug. 29, Pallikkathayil said, this time asking for more than $500,000 for a gracious separation. That offer also was refused by the congregation, which was received into the EPC on Oct. 22.

There was a willingness on the part of the session to give a gift to the presbytery, but there was reluctance by the presbytery to negotiate a settlement that would have resulted in an amicable separation.

“There seemed to be more of an interest in big money,” Pallikkathayil said. “The presbytery makes it tough to leave. As I see it, the goal is to get the most money rather than an interest in kingdom building.”

Pallikkathayil said there was quite a sense of relief when the congregation voted to walk away from the PCUSA.

“When results of the vote (Aug. 25) were announced, there was crying, cheering, clapping and dancing,” he said. “That meeting was such a heartfelt and moving experience for me, just to see those people on fire for what God was calling them to do. They were ready to leave. I’ve never experienced such a congregational meeting in my 38 years of ministry in the Presbyterian Church.”

An uncertain future

Even with a disaffiliation vote and acceptance by the EPC confirmed, the Brookdale congregation remains in somewhat of a state of uncertainty. There has been no indication if Heartland Presbytery will seek any legal recourse against the church, such as claiming that the PCUSA’s trust clause means that the property belongs to the presbytery and/or national denomination.

“We don’t know if we will lose the property right now or if there will be any legal action taken,” Pallikkathayil said. “Our people are very happy with the decision we have made and are strongly committed to it. But the property situation is in limbo right now. The congregation doesn’t know if (the presbytery) will act.”

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