Park said his church left PC (USA) because the denomination has strayed from the authority of the Bible when it comes to issues like abortion, the concept of marriage and the divinity of Christ. Both Grace and Rock Presbyterian are now fully-recognized churches within the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, a new denomination formed out of churches that have separated from PC (USA).

A congregation that formed in the aftermath of a controversial vote at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Columbus has a new home.

Starting Sunday, members of Grace Presbyterian Church will worship at a building owned by Rock Presbyterian Church, a predominantly Korean congregation located in a former movie theater at The Landings.

The arrangement comes in the wake of both churches separating from the Presbyterian Church (USA) over gay marriage and other doctrinal issues.

Former members of First Presbyterian started Grace Presbyterian in April, after an effort to split from the denomination fell eight votes shy of the two-thirds required for dismissal. Their first few worship services were held at Shearith Israel Synagogue at 6727 River Road. When the group outgrew that facility, they moved to a Teen Challenge building at 5304 Hurst Drive.

The Rev. Chuck Hasty, who was pastor of First Presbyterian when the controversial vote occurred, is now pastor of Grace Presbyterian. He said the congregation averages about 180 people on Sundays and needed additional space.

So the Rev. Sam Park, pastor of Rock Presbyterian, extended an invitation at a meeting with Hasty and an elder after Hasty started in August.

“I think he was aware that we were looking for new and larger space, so he very graciously and very sincerely said, ‘Please come and share our worship space,’ and it was a holy moment.” Hasty said. “We were just overwhelmed with the sincerity, the generosity of the invitation.”

Rock Presbyterian held two votes in its effort for “gracious dismissal” from PC U.S.A. The congregation approved the measure in mid-February with a 170-5 vote.

The second vote was held in August, and the dismissal was confirmed by a 189 to 3 margin.

Park said his church left PC (USA) because the denomination has strayed from the authority of the Bible when it comes to issues like abortion, the concept of marriage and the divinity of Christ.

Both Grace and Rock Presbyterian are now fully-recognized churches within the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians, a new denomination formed out of churches that have separated from PC (USA).

The two churches will remain separate congregations but will worship in the same building.

Park said he extended the invitation to members of Grace Presbyterian because many are former members of First Presbyterian, which opened its doors to his congregation in the 1980s when it was just starting out.

“The Rev. James V. Johnson (senior pastor at First Presbyterian at the time) graciously invited us to their facilities — beautiful sanctuary and fellowship hall,” he said. “We used those facilities from March 1986 to October 1990. We didn’t pay anything. That’s why this kind of situation is a great moment for the Rock to pay back the grace we had enjoyed.”

He said he also admires the members of Grace for making a bold step on behalf of their faith.

“I would like to learn the strong spirit of that congregation,” he said. “We were almost in the same situation, but with my congregation, the first and second votes were almost 98-99 percent. It was a very easy step for the Rock to take that position, but their case is totally different and difficult.”

Hasty said Grace can learn from the Rock, also.

“They know the power of prayer in this congregation and I think they have a lot of things to teach us as well. They have already taught us about Grace because they so graciously invited us and are now receiving us. So we’re equally excited about what we have to learn in this piece of our journey.”

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