The Presbytery of Santa Barbara is promoting an initiative called Presbytery Committees of Correspondence hoping to unite those “who voted no on Amendment 10A to discern together God’s will for our future.”

(Editor’s Note: The complete statement from the presbytery is recorded at the end of this article)

“We believe that it is essential that we not fragment or carry out individual presbytery or congregational actions,” the committee’s online position paper states, adding the group hopes to discourage “division and isolation” and instead help present a united front if the PCUSA chooses to initiate hostile action towards any church or presbytery seeking to recognize Scriptural authority in ordination standards and other theological issues.

A daylong meeting Aug. 27 in Minneapolis following a meeting of the Fellowship of Presbyterians has been planned. The Fellowship began as a group of seven tall steeple pastors who sent an open letter to the Presbyterian Church (USA) on Feb. 2 in which it called the denomination “deathly ill.” The August gathering will include worship, discussion and prayer.

Below is an interview with Mark Patterson, pastor of Community Presbyterian Church in Ventura, Calif. He was part of the group who helped create the idea of Committees of Correspondence.

Question: First, help us understand the name you have given these groups: why Committees of Correspondence?
Answer: The name is actually taken from American history. On the eve of the American Revolution groups with this name were formed to address specific acts improperly imposed upon the colonies by the British colonial government. The first Committee of Correspondence was formed in Boston in 1764 to protest the Currency Act. By 1773 Committees of Correspondence had been organized in every colony with seven to 8,000 members active within them. The main purpose of these committees was to unite people by disseminating information, rallying opposition against common causes and creating plans for unified action. Eventually these committees became shadow governments and actually became the basis of the Continental Congress.

Question: How would you describe the goals of these committees?
Answer: Our first goal, and the most important one at this stage, is to unify those who voted against Amendment 10A specifically and, more broadly, any who are frustrated with the course the PC(USA) has been led to take over the last 30 plus years. We want to establish committees in as many presbyteries as possible and include as many pastors, elders and churches as we possibly can. Our goal is to see like-minded people and congregations within a geographic area unite to form committees. These committees would in turn to unite with others being formed across the country. Information will be shared between groups through a website and social media.

Question: So you would say that a primary purpose of these committees is to foster discussion?
Answer: Yes. A primary goal is to create groups across the country and encourage them to unify, plan and initiate the steps we can take together to bring about a new future. But it is vitally important to understand that conversation is the means not the end of these groups. Our ultimate goal is to form a plan of action that we may take together. In the end these Committees of Correspondence are about action not conversation. Talking together is simply the first step in bringing about a new future.

Read More of Q&A [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

Full Statement of the Presbytery of Santa Barbara concerning Presbytery Committees of Correspondence Follows:

An Initiative of Members of the Presbytery of Santa Barbara, May 2011

The purpose of the Presbytery Committees of Correspondence is to unite in prayer, deliberation, planning, and collaboration with those who voted no on amendment 10a to discern together God’s will for our future. We believe that it is essential that we not frag-ment or carry out individual presbytery or congregational actions. We believe unity best enables our witness and mission. We hold that a united front provides protection and strength should the denomination respond with hostility. Believing therefore that division and isolation must be rejected and avoided the Presbytery Committees of Correspondence exist to further unity and conversation among the many presbyteries as well as congregations and members that desire to acknowledge the authority of Scripture and shape the church by its singular witness and standards.

There is at this early stage no set plan or intended outcome being sought save faithfulness to the God we love and serve. Every op-tion is on the table and worthy of consideration. We believe change is needed but have not determined what that change should be or how or when it might best be accomplished and welcome the wisdom of brothers and sisters across the church. We are exploring some options in our Presbytery of Santa Barbara Committee. We know many others across the country are uniting in conversation and exploring options for the future. Our goal in establishing the Committees of Correspondence is to encourage this discussion and provide a place where the many voices and ideas might be brought together for the common good and dissemination and that a common course might be discerned and taken. We are especially interested in conversations between authorized representatives of like-minded presbyteries since we believe that action may have to be taken at a presbytery level.

Ultimately our hope and goal lies in faithful action in, by, and for that part of the church for which we are responsible. Conversation is but a means to an end, not the end itself. Affirming that “truth is in order to goodness,” we hope and urge all Presbytery Committees of Correspondence join to determine together an appropriate response to both recent decisions and the decades long course pursued by the Presbyterian Church. Our hope and aim is to design and implement a new way forward, a way that is consistently faithful to the Scriptures, wholly committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and deeply honouring of the Triune God of grace.

While each Presbytery Committee of Correspondence will organize as it desires and address issues it believes to be most pressing it is vital that we unite in certain tasks and discussions. We would hope that each Presbytery Committee of Correspondence would…

 Identify all like-minded congregations within their presbytery’s boundaries, making contact with them and including them in the work of the committee.

 Identify any like-minded congregations beyond the geographic boundaries of the presbytery—especially any that might be within “unsympathetic” presbyteries—making contact with them and including them in the work of the committee.

 Pay special attention to small churches or churches within “unsympathetic” presbyteries so they do not stand alone or iso-lated from needed support and are included in our conversation and strength of unity.

 Identify like-minded presbyteries in their geographic area and initiate conversation with them, sharing ideas and plans and working to discern a common course.

 Consider how we might go forward from this point, what God desires of us and what we must do to remain faithful to God and effective in our mission.

 Consider all viable acts and responses, be they great or small that might move us together into the future God desires for us establish and enjoy.

 Share any plans, discussions, and thoughts with all other Committees. Please keep us in Santa Barbara informed of your work and we will in turn keep all committees informed of the various ideas and plans.

We are currently planning to meet for one day following the Fellowship of Presbyterians gathering occurring in Minneapolis August 25-26. We invite each Presbytery Committee of Correspondence to send designated representatives to this meeting on Saturday August 27th that we might discuss together the future and how we might follow God into all he desires for us.

“Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ so that —whether I come and see you or whether I remain absent— I should hear that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, by contending side by side for the faith of the gospel, and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of their destruction, but of your salvation— a sign which is from God.”
Philippians 1:27-28