The Session of 1st Presbyterian Church - Midland, Texas had called a Congregational meeting for November 1, 2015 to discuss and vote upon the following question: "Shall
the First Presbyterian Church of Midland request the Presbytery of Tres
Rios to dismiss it to the Reformed body of 'ECO: A Covenant Order of
Evangelical Presbyterians?'"
The Session recommended, for the unity of our Congregation and to fulfill
our mission, that the Congregation vote in favor of seeking dismissal
from PC(USA) to ECO.
It was a full house at 1st Prez-Midland yesterday morning. Following the service, the meeting was called to order, we reviewed the timeline for activities and decisions that brought us to this vote, and the procedures for conducting that vote were covered once more.
We were given our chance to have our say on the question before us, and more than a few of us did just that ... the following is NOT a verbatim account of my 'say' ... but it's pretty close ...
"Good morning, my name is Jeff McDonald. Compared to many of you here today, I am a relative newbie to the Presbyterian Church, having been baptized, raised and confirmed in the Methodist church, then spending part of my life away from the church."
"I had just moved to Fort Stockton, Texas, when I returned to the church. I chose one that happened to be PC(USA) ... but NOT because it was PC(USA. During my first week of living and working in Fort Stockton, I received five invitations to 'come church with us,' and four of them were from 1st Prez-Fort Stockton. The doors of that church were wide open to us. Upon returning to Midland, our selection of that denomination was affirmed by the transfer of our letter to another PC(USA) congregation, 1st Prez-Midland ... another church whose doors were wide open."
"I want to be part of a church whose doors are wide open, NOT one where they'll be checking my ID at the door. That's why I am voting 'NO' on this question, and I am urging us to remain PC(USA) ... BUT, with the urging that we become part of the conservative fellowship of that denomination, that we join with them in stepping-up and speaking-out to promote conservative values within that denomination, and have an active hand in helping to guide that denomination into the future."
"We can disagree, we can be dysfunctional, but we can STILL be family."
In closing, I would like to thank our pastors, our elders and our staff in providing us the information we needed to make this vote, and to the manner in which the process for discernment was followed so carefully ... and I would like to thank all of you who have kept this discussion, this debate, on the high road."
"Thank you."
In the balloting that followed, There were 446 'Yes' votes, in favor of seeking dismissal
from PC(USA) to ECO, and 145 'No' votes opposing that dismissal. The measure passed, with 75.4% of the vote.
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