Facts Concerning Bay Presbyterian Church’s
Motion for Dismissal

The following document was submitted with BPC’s motion to the Presbytery. It includes background on how and why BPC came to its decision to seek dismissal. We believe this document is perhaps the best way we can address other questions concerning BPC’s position on doctrinal issues.

Bay’s Concerns
Bay Presbyterian Church has long focused on its three fold mission, that being a commitment to Christ, a commitment to the body of Christ (the church), and a commitment to the work of Christ in the world.  It has stood upon the Bible being the inerrant word of God, salvation being through faith in Christ alone, and the tenets of the reformed faith governing its polity.  It has viewed the positions of the Presbyterian Church (USA) on these matters with increasing concern for many years.  The decision of the General Assembly to not accept language indicating Christ to be the single source of salvation in 2001 heightened concerns.  The adoption of the Peace, Unity and Purity Report in 2006 by the General Assembly brought home to BPC that we were not growing closer with the PC (USA) but rather growing farther apart.  The time came to have a discussion with the congregation to determine if dismissal to a more like-minded denomination was the desire of the congregation.

The Discernment Process
In the summer of 2007, the Session of Bay Presbyterian asked its Senior Pastor to deliver a sermon series on the tenets of the reformed faith.  Pastor Auburn has always developed a theme for each program year and normally a shorter series for the summer.  Beginning in June and lasting through August, Bay’s pastors delivered a sermon each week on the tenets.  Each sermon included a guide for further study of God’s word in the Bible.  Bay is made up of people who come from many denominational backgrounds.  For many, this was the first time they had become acquainted with what the tenets were and how they called members of the church to conduct their lives in obedience to God’s word.  If Bay’s members were going to be called upon to decide if the tenets should be adhered to, they deserved to understand what they were.

Following the sermon series, in September 2007, the Session of Bay Presbyterian advised the Presbytery of the Western Reserve that Bay would be entering into a period of discernment over whether to seek dismissal from the PC(USA).  Session members met with dozens of small groups and in many larger meetings of the congregation to discuss why it felt a decision of the congregation was called for.  The Presbytery formed a Special Administrative Review Committee to work with the Session of Bay Presbyterian.   Members of the SARC attended many meetings where communication materials and procedures for the process were discussed.  At the request of the SARC, meetings were arranged where Presbytery representatives could speak directly to the members of Bay.  These were held both in the evening and during worship services.  They were well attended and the Presbytery representatives were free to discuss anything they wished to address.

The Vote
After two months of the discernment process, and agreement with the SARC on voting procedures, the members of Bay were asked to vote regarding dismissal on November 18, 2007.  The SARC had specified that a number close to two thirds of all active members would be required for a quorum and that a 75% passage rate would be required before the Presbytery would act upon a request for dismissal.  As with any congregation, having two thirds of the active members appear at a meeting was a tall order.  Many members were away at college, away at winter homes, or shut in.  Nonetheless, under careful oversight of the SARC, a secret ballot vote was taken with over 63% of the active membership voting.  The vote seeking dismissal passed by 91.4%.  The SARC agreed that Bay had met all of the requirements it had set for submitting Bay’s request for dismissal to the Presbytery.  Moreover, there is no schism in the Bay congregation and there is no remnant that will require resources of the Presbytery to find a church home in the PC(USA).

The Terms of Dismissal
It is no secret that many churches are seeking dismissal from the PC(USA).  There is no clearly articulated set of terms that apply to dismissals.  The Internet contains descriptions of some dismissals where no financial considerations were required by the presbyteries.  The largest payment by a church in a situation similar to Bay’s was made by Signal Mountain Presbyterian in Tennessee which made a mission gift of $500,000 paid in installments over five years. Discussions between the negotiating team named  by the Presbytery of the Western Reserve and the team named by Bay failed to produce a common view of the terms of dismissal.  While Bay made three separate offers, the Presbytery made only one, asking for $3,000,000 over ten years along with other conditions as to Bay’s property and as to its name.  (The example the Presbytery team offered for a church that paid more than a million dollars to be dismissed was with respect to a church that was in schism and an administrative commission had been appointed.)  Bay agreed to provide for any pastor who did not wish to be dismissed with Bay, and in its final offer agreed to pay a total of $550,000 for missions beginning with $100,000 the first year and reduced by $10,000 over each subsequent year for nine years.  This would exceed the per capita and mission amounts Bay had been making over the years, with a gradual phase down.  While apparently satisfied with the provision for pastors, the bargaining team for the Presbytery declined to make any further offer.  Having offered more than any other similarly situated church and having been told that no counter offer would be forthcoming, Bay’s Session has voted to submit its final proposal to the Presbytery.