Presa began by saying “together we stand, divided we freak out.” He said that his presbytery — Elizabeth — dismissed its first congregation to ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians recently. He said that throughout the conversations between the presbytery and session “we came to a mutual discovery that the particular congregation is leaving — not because they see we are apostate or unorthodox — but because they could not live with the broadness” of the PCUSA.

The Rev. Neal Presa was elected as the moderator of the 220th General Assembly on the fourth ballot cast by commissioners. Candidates must receive more than 50 percent of the votes cast to be elected.

On the final vote, Presa received 52 percent of the vote, or 338 votes. On the final vote the other candidates received:

• The Rev. Robert Austell 22 percent or 144 votes
• The Rev, Randolph “Randy” Branson, 2 percent, or 13 votes
• The Rev. Sue Krummel, 24 percent, or 158 votes

In his speech before the election, Presa said that Presbyterians have become anxious about what happens next.

“How is it that we read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and use our faith as a weapon of mass destruction … We have become a church marked by constant disagreement,” he said. “Jesus’ prayer in John 17 was that ‘they will be one as we are one.'”

“I am committed to the unity of the Presbyterian family,” Presa said. “God holds all of us together in Christ through the Spirit. It’s called grace — God’s amazing grace … tonight, in this week, let us as a 220th General Assembly trust in God’s amazing grace to take us through.”

His vice moderator is the Rev. Tara Spuhler McCabe, who performed a same-sex wedding ceremony of two women on April 28, 2012 in the District of Columbia in violation of her ordination vows.

Read More from The Layman article [Editor’s note: the original URL (link) referenced is no longer valid, so the link has been removed.]

Following is a biography of Dr. Presa taken from his home church website  (Editor’s note:  Westminster Seminary California is included in his c.v.)

Neal is a Filipino American, Minister of the Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) serving as pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church (Middlesex, NJ) since 2003, and on the adjunct faculties of New Brunswick Theological Seminary and Somerset Christian College.

Neal is a committed ecumenist, lending leadership through the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) and its predecessor, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC), serving on both executive committees, and serving as convenor of the Caribbean and North American Area Council since 2006. He has represented WARC at the WCC Faith and Order Plenary Commission and at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity symposium on “Harvesting the Fruits.” Neal has served as a trustee of Princeton Theological Seminary, chair of the General Assembly Special Committee on the Heidelberg Catechism, and formerly as vice chair of the General Assembly Mission Council; regionally as vice moderator and moderator of the Presbytery of Elizabeth, one of the regional governing bodies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

He has edited two books: That They May All Be One: Celebrating the World Communion of Reformed Churches: essays in honor of Clifton Kirkpatrick (Westminster John Knox Press, 2010) and Insights from the Underside: An Intergenerational Conversation of Ministers (Broadmind Press, 2008). He has past and forthcoming essays in Ecumenical Review, Homiletic, Homily Service, The Present Word, The Presbyterian Outlook, and Call To Worship.

Professionally, he has memberships in Societas Liturgica, the North American Academy of Liturgy and the North American Academy of Ecumenists. He studied at Drew University (Ph.D, M.Phil. in liturgical studies/liturgical theology), Princeton Theological Seminary (Th.M. in pastoral theology), San Francisco Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Westminster Theological Seminary California (graduate theology/history courses), and the University of California, Davis (B.A. in political science summa cum laude and history cum laude).

Neal and his wife have two sons; the Presas live in New Jersey. Neal enjoys hanging out with his family and friends, traveling, fine wine and great food, working out, reading, and politics.