An Oklahoma church's leadership has decided to cut its ties with the Presbyterian Church (USA) over theological differences and has advised its congregation to vote accordingly.

First Presbyterian Church of Edmond, which was founded in 1889 and with an estimated 750 regular attendance, held a session in which they recommended breaking from their PC(USA) regional body, Indian Nations Presbytery.

The Rev. Mateen Elass, senior pastor at First Presbyterian Edmond, told The Christian Post that the situation was a complex one but that the major reason was theological. more >>

A candidate for the moderator position of the 220th General Assembly of Presbyterian Church (USA) says that although she is part of an LGBT organization she will be able to facilitate dialogue between both sides.

The Rev. Janet Edwards, a board member of the group More Light Presbyterians, told The Christian Post that as moderator she would be tolerant of different opinions.

"I believe a PC(USA) General Assembly moderator should be knowledgeable and have principled opinions on a wide range of issues," said Edwards. "There are countless examples of communities that have learned to be together despite their different interpretations of Scripture and we need to learn from them." more >>

A Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation in Colorado with an estimated 4,000 members is one step closer to breaking ties with its mainline denomination.

First Presbyterian Church of Colorado Springs put its decision concerning breaking away from PC(USA) to a vote Sunday, and 88 percent of its members voted to leave the denomination.

Alison Murray, leader of staff for First Presbyterian Church, told The Christian Post that the church members voted to leave for many reasons that are connected to "the decline in the PC(USA)." more >>

As the Presbyterian Church (USA) Board of Pensions decides to expand domestic benefits to same-sex couples, one Presbyterian leader has denounced the measure.

Paul Detterman, executive director of the conservative Presbyterians for Renewal and consultant for the Fellowship of Presbyterians, believes PC(USA) made "the wrong decision" when expanding benefits to include same-sex couples.

"We feel that it was not a necessary move because there are other options available. But it is a decision they made and we do feel that it was wrong," said Detterman in an interview with The Christian Post. more >>

A church in Colorado Springs, Colo., that has 4,000 members and was established in 1872 will informally vote Sunday to decide whether the congregation should leave their denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA), over same-sex marriage.

First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs will vote Sunday afternoon and later may seek to join the conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO), launched by conservative Presbyterians in January over the denomination's vote last year to lift its longtime ban on gay clergy, The Gazette reported.

After PC(USA) removed the constitutional requirement for clergy to live "in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness" last May, dozens of congregations left the denomination. Covenant Presbyterian Church of Ligonier, Pa., parted ways late last year. In Ohio, four churches that were once part of the Miami Valley Presbytery also voted overwhelmingly to leave PC(USA). Churches in Washington, Wisconsin and California have also voted to cut ties. more >>

The highest court of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has affirmed the censure of a self-described "lesbian evangelist" who in 2008 performed several same-sex marriage ceremonies in California while it was legal to do so.

In a divided decision, the Permanent Judicial Commission of the General Assembly affirmed on Monday the Presbytery of the Redwoods' censure of the Rev. Dr. Jane Spahr.

The PJC began hearing testimony on Friday at the Drury Plaza Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, and rendered its decision the following Monday. more >>