From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


[PCUSANEWS] No Subject


From PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>
Date Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:59:57 -0600

Note #8682 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05164
March 29, 2005

Presbytery cuts ties with Messianic Jewish congregation

Relationship with Philadelphia's Avodat Yisrael ends July 1

by Toya Richards Hill

LOUISVILLE - Philadelphia Presbytery voted Tuesday to end its relationship
with Congregation Avodat Yisrael, the Messianic Jewish new-church development
it began supporting in 2002.

"They are into their third year and they have not been meeting their
goals for membership, for worship attendance, for education and for
congregational giving," said the Rev. Edward Gehres, executive presbyter of
the Philadelphia Presbytery.

Gehres said the congregation was "not meeting the goals which they set out in
the (new-church development) grant application."

The presbytery's decision follows a recommendation made by a
presbytery administrative commission created 18 months ago to oversee and
govern Congregation Avodat Yisrael.

The decision, effective July 1, ends the congregation's relationship
with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and cuts off funding from the
presbytery, the Synod of the Trinity and the national church. The presbytery
will continue to lease meeting space to the congregation.

"It was a decision arrived at reluctantly by the presbytery and by
Congregation Avodat Yisrael as probably the best thing," Gehres said.

The Rev. Andrew Sparks, an ordained Presbyterian minister and leader
of Congregation Avodat Yisrael, declined to comment on the presbytery's
decision.

Gehres said the congregation will return to the supervision of
Messiah Now Ministries, out of which the congregation was created and which
still provides funding for the church. He said Sparks, who was working
part-time as executive director of Messiah Now Ministries while Congregation
Avodat Yisrael was a new-church development, will work full-time as executive
director of the Messiah Now Ministry.

Avodat Yisrael is not the first Messianic congregation sponsored by
the PC(USA), but the issue - especially with regard to Congregation Avodat
Yisrael - gained attention in the wake of actions taken last summer by the
216th General Assembly.

The Assembly ordered a study to "examine and strengthen the
relationship between Christians and Jews and the implications of this
relationship for our evangelism and new-church development." Commissioners
voted down a proposal to suspend national funding for any other Messianic
Jewish new-church development projects.

On Tuesday, the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the
General Assembly, said the relationship with Congregation Avodat Yisrael has
"prompted an important conversation for us as a denomination."

Kirkpatrick said in a prepared statement: "I am deeply grateful for
the faithful work and witness of this and every other presbytery across the
Presbyterian Church (USA), as we all seek to live out our call to share the
good news of the gospel and

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to
pcusanews-subscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org or
pcusanews-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org

To contact the owner of the list, please send an email to
pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org


Browse month . . . Browse month (sort by Source) . . . Advanced Search & Browse . . . WFN Home