The congregation of NPC voted 29-3 on June 10 to depart from the PCUSA and the presbytery responded by accusing the pastor of violating her ordination vows and formed an administrative commission with the authority to assume original jurisdiction.

In an Aug. 16 meeting that was described to Rev. Heidi Johnson as an “ecclesiastical disciplinary examination” by John Guthrie, co-moderator of the Presbytery of East Tennessee’s (PET) Committee on Ministry (COM), Johnson renounced the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

When asked about the meeting with Johnson at an Aug. 20 presbytery meeting, the other COM co-moderator, Wendy Neff told presbytery members that “It was not a disciplinary meeting. It was not intended to be that in any way. We did not go to be adversarial. We were exercising the authority the presbytery has given the COM.”

Johnson, pastor of Northside Presbyterian Church (NPC) in Cleveland, Tenn., had been informed via a letter from the COM dated August 12 and received one day prior to the face-to-face meeting that, “Any action on your part to initiate or encourage the congregation to leave the PCUSA and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in America or any other denomination is viewed as a violation of your vows.” Neff, however, denied to PET presbyters that she nor Guthrie had ever said anything about the renunciation of the church’s jurisdiction. She summarized the rationale of the COM’s letter and meeting by saying, “If COM sees a violation of vows we intervene and ask them to stop.”

No regrets
Renunciation is an irrevocable act but one that Johnson does not regret. She observes that “God is working to break down idols all the time. For the PCUSA right now the idols being toppled are ordination, the Book of Order, the Committee on Ministry. Like facing the loss of tenure for a professor, pastors have to confront whether their identity is with an institution or completely with Christ. What gives you your identity? Christ gives me mine. And Christ alone.”

Like Martin Luther who continued to serve as a rogue monk after being stripped of his institutional credentials, Johnson continues to serve NPC through a contract with the session as an “independent non-ordained pastoral supply.” The congregation of NPC voted 29-3 on June 10 to depart from the PCUSA and the presbytery responded by accusing the pastor of violating her ordination vows and formed an administrative commission with the authority to assume original jurisdiction.

Following the PET’s action, NPC elder Ken Callihan addressed the presbytery. “The perception of many members of Northside is that the representatives of the presbytery have shown a greater concern with our property than with our persons, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Any further action against our property will only confirm that perception.”

Location, location, location
NPC sits on land the size of a postage stamp but that postage stamp happens to be prime real estate.

Several years ago, in what used to be the outskirts north of town, WalMart and Lowe’s built super-stores immediately across the road from NPC. Then two years ago the church received an unsolicited $2.2 million dollar offer for their property from Walgreens. They declined the offer and Walgreens bought the land next door and built a store. Since then an Olive Garden has opened across the road. Business is booming on the north side of Cleveland, Tenn., and NPC is right in the middle of it.

From the perspective of church members, the church is now literally surrounded by a new mission field. They have no thought of uprooting themselves from where God has planted them.

Timeline:
April 20, 2007 The session of NPC begins raising formal concerns in writing with the PET asking:
· What is the position of the PET on Biblical authority, the Trinity and the ordination of gays?
· Why is the PET failing to address issues that give rise to divisiveness?
· How is the leadership of PET determined and on what principles are leaders chosen?
· Who in PET would be willing to meet with the church to provide clarity/direction?

April 22, 2009 The session of NPC notified the PET via letter of its displeasure with the presbytery’s approval of an amendment to remove the explicit “fidelity and chastity” standard from the constitution.

July 2010 Dr. Aaron and Rev. Heidi Johnson relocated to Cleveland, Tenn. where Dr. Johnson had been called to serve on the faculty of Lee University. Rev. Johnson transferred to the PET as a member-at-large and made herself available to serve. The PET quickly recognized Heidi’s gifts, made her a member of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry and assigned her as a designated pastor to the Northside Church.

November 2010 The PET installed the Rev. Johnson as the part-time designated pastor of the NPC.

February 2011 Amendment 10A passed in the PET.

May 10, 2011 Amendment 10A was ratified by a majority of presbyteries in the PCUSA and the session of Northside notified the presbytery of their vexation and invited the PET to meet and discuss their options.

June 10, 2011 The presbytery’s executive presbyter spoke to the members of Northside at a covered dish dinner. He shared his thoughts and predictions. Church members shared their embarrassment over the denomination’s actions. The pastor recalls, “the meeting was not well received by the members.”

July 10, 2011 Amendment 10A took effect and the congregation of NCP met and voted 29-3 to depart from the PCUSA. The session requested that their pastor set up a meeting with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) to answer questions and address concerns.

August 10, 2011 A representative from the EPC answered questions at a church potluck supper.

August 12, 2011 Johnson received a phone call from COM co-moderator Guthrie. She recalls, “He said, ‘we will meet with you either Monday or Tuesday.’ I asked what the meeting was about. He said, ‘your responsibilities to the presbytery as a pastor.’ When I pressed further, he said it was ‘an ecclesiastical disciplinary examination.’ When I asked if I could have someone with me at the meeting he stepped away from the call and when he returned he said, ‘We really just want to talk with you. But it is your right.’”

August 15, 2011 Johnson received a letter dated Aug. 12 from the co-moderators of the presbytery’s COM, Neff and Guthrie reminding her of her ordination vows, and notifying her that “Any action on your part to initiate or encourage the congregation to leave the PCUSA and join the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in America or any other denomination is viewed as a violation of your vows.” The letter went on to assert the denomination’s trust over the NPC property.

August 16, 2011 Neff and Guthrie met with Johnson at NPC. The meeting resulted in Johnson renouncing the jurisdiction of the PCUSA.

August 17, 2011 The session of NPC held a called meeting moderated by Rev. Bud Little (H.R.) who had been appointed the day before by the COM. At that meeting, the NPC session entered into a contract with Johnson to continue serving the congregation as “independent non-ordained pastoral supply.” She will continue to preach, teach Bible studies and provide pastoral care. She will not moderate the session nor officiate over sacraments.

August 20, 2011 Presbytery of East Tennessee voted to form an Administrative Commission (AC) with authority to exercise original jurisdiction over the Northside Church. Efforts to slow down the process were thwarted.

One presbyter pleaded, “I wish we could hit the pause button. The congregation seems to have had an allergic reaction as many congregations across the country have had. Let’s give some time to breathe – consider who we are and how we should proceed.”

After the presbytery voted to form the AC with authority to take original jurisdiction, two different presbytery commissioners filed protests to the action, noting that they were preserving their right to take further action.

Another teaching elder moved to “reject Heidi Johnson’s renunciation of jurisdiction. Without casting aspersions on anyone, my suspicion is that her renunciation did not come separate from the meeting held with her on Tuesday. I think it would mean a lot of we said we reject it.” The stated clerk replied by noting that “according to the Book of Order, there is no recourse or remedy for that.” The motion was not allowed.

What happens next?
NPC views itself as free of the PCUSA. They are proceeding with worship, Bible study and mission efforts. They are caring for the members of their faith community and they are reaching out to their neighbors.

Johnson reflects, “The presbytery is really the one that’s left. We just want to remain faithful to Christ and to the Church universal.”

Efforts by The Layman to reach Guthrie and Neff for comment were unsuccessful.