Edward
Puritanboard Commissioner
The liberals are trying to progressively chip away at the congregational property protections which are foundational to the PCA.
PCA BCO permits a congregation to leave the PCA with its property at any time it desires to do so. PCA BCO 25-9 and 25-11.
BCO 25-10 provides
25-10
The quorum for holding a vote to leave with property now range from 25% of resident communing members for small churches to 1/6 of the resident communing members for all other churches (BCO 25-3)
Now the liberals want to double or triple the number of voters required for such a vote. (Overture 16 to the 2017 General Assembly). http://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/upl...ic-NW-BCO-25-3-on-quorums-for-withdrawals.pdf
Now, some of you may say that you don't see a problem with requiring half the members to show up for an important vote. But it appears that this is just the first step toward requiring a supermajority to leave with property (like the PCUSA's Article 13 process?):
PCA BCO permits a congregation to leave the PCA with its property at any time it desires to do so. PCA BCO 25-9 and 25-11.
BCO 25-10 provides
25-10
The provisions of this BCO 25 are to be construed as a solemn covenant whereby the Church as a whole promises never to attempt to secure possession of the property of any congregation against its will, whether or not such congregation remains within or chooses to withdraw from this body. All officers and courts of the Church are hereby prohibited from making any such attempt.
The quorum for holding a vote to leave with property now range from 25% of resident communing members for small churches to 1/6 of the resident communing members for all other churches (BCO 25-3)
Now the liberals want to double or triple the number of voters required for such a vote. (Overture 16 to the 2017 General Assembly). http://www.pcaac.org/wp-content/upl...ic-NW-BCO-25-3-on-quorums-for-withdrawals.pdf
Now, some of you may say that you don't see a problem with requiring half the members to show up for an important vote. But it appears that this is just the first step toward requiring a supermajority to leave with property (like the PCUSA's Article 13 process?):
Note - Approval of a departure motion would still only require a simple majority; just a higher quorum. Our Presbytery also considered whether BCO 25-11 should be revised to require more than a simple majority to withdraw, but we believed the quorum change would be sufficient. But if the Overtures Committee believes it is also prudent to revise BCO 25-11, our Presbytery would regard that as a germane.So where will they stop? 2/3 of the congregation? 90%? We've seen that kind of progression with the former PCUS congregations. So if a church EVER wants to leave with their property, they need to get moving on the planning process, and be setting aside money for lawyers.