The churches in Charlotte were released from the PCUSA – pending completion of the final steps in the dismissal process – during the Oct. 22, 2013, meeting of the presbytery.  Two were dismissed to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians with the other two seeking alignment with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC).

Five additional churches in North Carolina have been dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Four of the churches were from the Presbytery of Charlotte, and a fifth was dismissed from New Hope Presbytery.

The churches in Charlotte were released from the PCUSA – pending completion of the final steps in the dismissal process – during the Oct. 22, 2013, meeting of the presbytery.  Two were dismissed to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians with the other two seeking alignment with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC).

According to presbytery documents, Banks Presbyterian Church in Marvin and Garden Memorial Church of Charlotte received affirmative votes to petition the EPC for membership, while Westminster Presbyterian Church and Albemarle Road, both in Charlotte, were granted approval to seek membership with ECO.

The EPC web site lists Banks Presbyterian and Garden Memorial among its North Carolina congregations. Westminster and Albemarle Road are shown as ECO churches on the denomination’s web site.

The Rev. Betty Meadows, transitional general presbyter of the Presbytery of Charlotte, noted a loss of relationships with the departure of the four churches.

“The greatest loss will be the relationships that have been formed between congregations and individual members of churches,” Meadows wrote in an email to The Layman. “There is sadness at presbytery meetings with every vote even as we pray for each church and the new relationship with their new denomination.”

The votes

The Banks congregation voted June 2, 2013, to seek dismissal from the PCUSA, with 90.5 percent (57 of 63 active voting members) giving approval to leave the denomination. Banks is located east of Charlotte in Union County.

Garden Memorial, located in northern Mecklenburg County, also voted on June 2, with 100 percent of the quorum present voting to leave the PCUSA.

Albemarle Road’s vote for dismissal took place May 20. Of the 154 active members present, 144 (93.5 percent) voted to seek dismissal. The church is in southern Mecklenburg County.

Westminster’s congregational vote for dismissal occurred June 30, and 225 (94.5 percent) of the 238 active members in attendance gave their approval to seek a new denominational affiliation. The church is located in southern Mecklenburg County.

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