Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Affinity Presbytery Proposed

At its meeting on October 27, the Committee on Administration (COA) received a report from Bill Meyer, chair of the NW/EPC Transitional Presbytery Commission. The Commission, having met in Orlando, Florida on October 10-11, is proposing that a permanent, non-geographic affinity presbytery be considered at the 2009 General Assembly.

In its discussion about the proposal, the COA noted that much of the energy driving it was the sensitive issue of the ordination of women as teaching elders. In the EPC, we currently have two presbyteries that prohibit women teaching elders, two that will not use gender as a consideration in approving ministers and candidates, two others who have a procedure in place that allows consideration of women ministers and candidates without violating conscience, and two that are still working on the issue and will have come to a conclusion by the second week of February 2009. One of these, Mid-America Presbytery, will consider an overture asking the 2009 General Assembly to approve an affinity presbytery within its boundaries as a response to women teaching elders.

In its written response to NW/EPC Transitional Presbytery Commission, the COA declared, "We recognize that an affinity presbytery is one of a number of possible solutions to the dilemma of women teaching elders in the EPC. While we do not believe it is the ideal solution, nevertheless, it may be the ultimate solution. In the EPC, it has been more than a decade since we have engaged in serious discussions about establishing an affinity presbytery. An affinity presbytery certainly has attractive features. However, we believe there are significant issues that need to be addressed and resolved before a proposal such as this can be advanced to the General Assembly. We would like to work with you to address those issues as we pursue this as a possible solution for 2009 General Assembly consideration."

On Tuesday, November 11, the NW/EPC Transitional Presbytery, meeting at Bay Village Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, Ohio received and discussed the Commission's proposal. Presbytery members were encouraged to review and suggested improvements to it to members of the NW/EPC Transitional Presbytery Commission. The Commission includes Zelda Artz, Chris Danusiar, Gerrit Dawson, Trish Dietz, Dennis Gorman, Randy Jenkins, Bill Meyer, Marty Martin, Dean Weaver and Ed Wedin. Ex officio members are Nate Atwood, Mac McCarty, Jeff Jeremiah, Allen Roes and Bill Vogler.