Healing after Discernment
A Time of Hope and Reconciliation
June 8, 6:00 PM | Chapel
On May 23, 2016, your Session voted to affiliate with “A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians”. Change is never an easy choice for any of us. As a result, some of you are grieving and struggling with the question, “Should I stay at MDPC as a member of ECO, or should I move my membership to another PC(USA) congregation? Please consider pushing the “pause” button and taking the summer to pray about it, talk to someone, and consider your decision.
Membership Options
Membership after Session’s Disaffiliation Decision
May 24, 2016
Pastor Alf has encouraged all of us to “pause” before making a permanent decision.
- New Covenant Presbytery (NCP) will take action on our disaffiliation from the PC (USA) and affiliation with ECO at their July 16, 2016 meeting.
- If you would like to talk through this issue with one of our pastors, call the church office at 713-782-1710, or email them directly.
If you have thought through this issue long and hard already, and are at the point where you really want to remove your membership from MDPC, there are two basic options for remaining Presbyterian, PC(USA).
- If you have completed the new member process at another church, you can ask the new church for a letter of transfer from MDPC. We will grant the transfer and bless you as you continue your faith journey with another Body of Christ.
- If you don’t yet know your landing place, but do not want to remain a Member of MDPC at this time, you can transfer your membership to New Covenant Presbytery. They will “hold” the membership on a temporary roll until you have determined which church you will join.
- Our dismissal to ECO will be voted on at the July 16 meeting of the Presbytery, so you have a little bit of time to make your decision prior to our becoming official members of the new denomination.
- Mike Cole, a representative from New Covenant Presbytery will be here on our campus Wednesday, June 8, at 6:00 PM in the Chapel to answer questions any members might have about remaining with PC(USA).
Our hope is that each and every one of you will remain an MDPC Member. We do not want to lose any sheep from this fold, and there is no new requirement for you when we join ECO. Since we have been a Member of the Fellowship of Presbyterians within the PC(USA) for several years, ECO has the exact same polity and theology. However, if leaving PC(USA) is not something that you want to consider, we want to help walk you through the transfer process in any way that we can.
Over the next six weeks, we will be offering a number of opportunities for you to gather information and discuss your thoughts and feelings with other members of MDPC, including a three week Healing Support Group, and Praying with Stephen Ministers after the worship services on June 12 & 19. The first event will be Wednesday, June 8, at 6:00 PM. Mike Cole, the General Presbyter of New Covenant Presbytery will be joining us as we gather to celebrate MDPC’s past ministry and faithfulness. He will also be available to answer any questions that you might have about Presbytery’s role in the transition. Please join us that evening for a time of reflection and sharing! Future opportunities to gather together to discuss your thoughts and feelings will be announced soon!
Our hope and prayer is that each and every one of you will realize just how important you are to the life and ministry of MDPC. Thank you for your faithfulness and dedication! Without your support and presence, we all suffer. If you need someone to pray with you or talk about your decision, please feel free to contact any of the Pastors at MDPC.
