“There were irregularities with decisions made by the General Assembly that made us realize that ship has sailed,” Kail said.  “The reluctance to define marriage and changes to the Book of Order led us to believe that it was time to pursue separation from the denomination. We decided it clearly was time for us to go.”

One pastor, two churches and two decisions to leave the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Muddy Creek Presbyterian Church and Unionville United Presbyterian Church, both located north of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania, informed the Beaver-Butler Presbytery of their intent to be dismissed from the PCUSA, and one of them has been released from the national denomination.

Muddy Creek was dismissed during an April 3 presbytery meeting to join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), while Unionville’s congregational vote June 2 puts the church in line to be dismissed to the EPC, possibly at the July 30 gathering of the presbytery, according to the Rev. Matthew Kail.

Kail serves as the pastor for both churches, found just three miles apart in Butler County. He said actions by the General Assembly as far back as 2008 started talk of possible dismissal at the yolked parishes he serves. Decisions made again in 2010 and 2012 further emphasized the desire of the congregations to separate themselves from the PCUSA.

“There were irregularities with decisions made by the General Assembly that made us realize that ship has sailed,” Kail said.  “The reluctance to define marriage and changes to the Book of Order led us to believe that it was time to pursue separation from the denomination. We decided it clearly was time for us to go.”

Kail indicated that if previous language in the Book of Order had been restored (primarily that regarding ordination standards), the churches probably would have terminated their requests to dismiss. Since that did not happen, Muddy Creek and Unionville both moved forward with their intentions.

Read More.
Read here about a Georgia congregation paying $130,000 to withdraw from the PCUSA to join the ECO.