Dear Brothers and Sisters [of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve],

We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to respond to questions that have arisen concerning Bay Presbyterian Church’s request to be dismissed from the PC(USA) to the New Wineskins Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Attached is a Question and Answer document in which BPC leadership has attempted to answer as many questions as possible of those received by the Presbytery over the past several weeks. While we pray that the answers to these questions will be helpful to you in your discernment, we would also ask your careful consideration of the following: 

• The leadership of BPC did not pursue this course of action hastily or take it lightly. Our Session has wrestled with denominational issues and concerns for 14 years, specifically with the concern that our denomination has strayed from its historic roots. Session met with Presbytery leadership last May and began discussing the eventuality of commencing a discernment process that might lead to a request for dismissal. 
• BPC followed a discernment process that was inclusive of our total congregation, grounded by sound counsel of our pastoral and lay leadership and worked under the guidance of Presbytery leadership. The total process has been and will continue to be bathed in prayer as we had sought and seek to do the Lord’s will.
• We have been led by the Lord to pursue a new commitment with a Reformed Presbyterian denomination, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, where we look forward to continuing the Christ-centered ministry and focus that has guided our congregation for 90 years.
• Members of the Presbytery and BPC both share a unique opportunity to bless one another. We seek to bless the Presbytery with a gift for you to use as you see fit in furthering your ministry. We ask you to bless us by dismissing us to a Presbyterian denomination where we can further the ministry God has called us to at this time.
• We are fully aware of the differences of opinion concerning BPC’s decision to leave. Over the course of this process, there have been things said that we wish we all could have done better. For our part, we have tried to acknowledge those along the way and asked for forgiveness where and when we have erred. Our prayer is that now we can move forward as Christian brothers and sisters, serving in our  ministries for the Lord. You should know that that the Session of BPC has and will continue to pray for the PCUSA and the Presbytery of the Western Reserve, asking that God will richly bless you now and forever.
• It is our fervent prayer that we can keep the valued relationships we have coveted over the years with so many of you in this Presbytery, while we seek a different denominational home. Many of the issues raised in these questions can be divisive, but they can also just be taken as issues on which we do not agree. We listened intently to the presentation the PWR team made at the last presbytery meeting. You could hear the passion the Presbytery has for their call and positions. It is with that same passion that we seek to go to where we feel called. The challenge issue is how both sides can do this gracefully and respectfully. That is why we prefer not to debate, but simply say where our passion rests and that we are ready for our church’s next chapter. That does not mean relationships with those of you in the Presbytery will end with our dismissal either. Many of our relationships are deep and strong and we see shared ministries continuing in the future. Our prayer continues to be that both sides are blessed in this decision.

In closing, we would ask for your prayerful consideration of our motion as we look forward to the Presbytery meeting on May 28.

God’s Richest Blessings,

The Session of Bay Presbyterian Church