“Hope Presbyterian, a congregation in Minneapolis with nearly 1,200 members, is paying more than a million dollars and losing one of its campuses but finds hope for the future with the move to a new denomination…. New Covenant Presbytery voted to release Grace Presbyterian Church of Houston on July 19. The church of more than 2,600 members – the 22^nd largest in the PCUSA – will pay $440,000 over five years to the presbytery in exchange for its departure to align with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.”

One of the larger congregations in the Presbyterian Church (USA) has been dismissed from the denomination and will be voting to call a new pastor in less than a week.

New Covenant Presbytery (NCP) voted to release Grace Presbyterian Church of Houston during a meeting Saturday, July 19. The church of more than 2,600 members – the 22^nd largest in the PCUSA – will pay $440,000 over five years to the presbytery in exchange for its departure to align with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.

The dismissal came seven weeks after more than 89 percent of the Grace congregation voted to leave the PCUSA and just eight days before a vote to call Trey Little as the new pastor.

Grace Executive Director of Ministry Support Hardie Morgan said there were questions raised regarding the dismissal prior to Saturday’s presbytery vote, but he said the process was completed in a smooth manner.

“It was a gracious discussion as it has been before,” Morgan said. “The whole process has been extremely gracious and, hopefully, a good witness for the kingdom.”

Before departure from the presbytery meeting, there was a laying of hands on the contingent representing Grace by New Covenant presbyters and a time of blessing for the church as it begins life in ECO. A day later, presbytery representatives attended services at Grace, and blessings for the future were exchanged for both parties.

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A Minnesota congregation of nearly 1,200 members is paying more than a million dollars and losing one of its campuses but finds hope for the future with the move to a new denomination.

Hope Presbyterian Church, located south of Minneapolis in Richfield (Hennepin County), was permitted to move from the Presbyterian Church (USA) to join ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians during a May 13 meeting of the Presbytery of Twin Cities Area (PTCA).

Final closing on the agreement took place June 30.

The church, started in 1954, celebrated its 60^th anniversary in March and is the first congregation from the presbytery to be permitted to move. Hope also is just the second congregation in the state of Minnesota to affiliate with ECO, joining Lawrence Presbyterian Church in Campbell.

While the congregation was dismissed to become part of ECO, the PTCA would not transfer the ordination of teaching elders David Lenz (senior pastor), Judie Ritchie and Bruce Hillyer (associate pastors), and K.C. DiNardo (director of Student Ministries), forcing them to renounce jurisdiction to leave the PCUSA.

“We are excited to be joining ECO. We are deeply drawn to the excellent and eloquent statement of essential tenets that we will ‘receive, adopt and be bound by,’” Lenz wrote in an email to The Layman. “We are inspired by the spirit of innovation that permeates ECO.  We look forward to being a denomination whose mission is to help congregations flourish. We anticipate being challenged by ECO to participate in church planting and formation of new worshiping communities. We value ECO’s clear affirmation of women in leadership.”

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