The fallout from the decision of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to allow noncelibate homosexuals to become clergy and lay leaders continues as more churches vote to break away.

Sumner Presbyterian Church of Sumner, Wash., voted on Sunday to leave the PC (USA) due to the change in the denomination’s constitution.

Around 90 percent of the congregation supported the move to break away, with the church planning to become part of the Evangelical Covenant Church. more >>

As many college graduates suffer from crippling academic related debts, one Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seminary has decided to implement a possible solution.

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a Kentucky school with around 150 full-time students, announced on Wednesday that it will give full scholarships for all students enrolled in their masters programs starting in 2015.

Patrick Cecil, vice president and CFO at Louisville, told The Christian Post that the seminary can afford to do this due to an endowment of $80 million and by capping enrollment at 130 students. more >>

A theologically conservative Presbyterian group held an event Monday in Pittsburgh to help equip churches that are considering separation from the mainline Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

The New Wineskins Association of Churches, the group that sponsored the event, hopes to have churches return to a “historic orthodox faith.”

“Many churches are asking questions, both theological and civil, in their process of discerning where God is leading them to serve the Kingdom. We decided to hold an event because no one else was stepping forward to address these hard questions,” said Eric Amundson, pastor and board member for the NWAC, in an interview with The Christian Post. more >>

A Sacramento, Calif., congregation voted Sunday to leave the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), months after the denomination removed its ban on openly gay clergy.

Fremont Presbyterian Church members approved a measure to seek dismissal from the PC(USA), 427 to 164, according to The Sacramento Bee. The church plans to join the smaller and more conservative Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

It was in May of this year when a majority of the PC(USA)'s 173 presbyteries chose to do away with the denomination's requirement for clergy to live “in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.” more >>

One of the Christian leaders arrested in a peaceful protest for the poor on Capitol Hill is calling fellow religious leaders to be a moral and nonviolent influence in the "Occupy Wall Street" protests occurring around the nation.

The Rev. J. Herbert Nelson, director of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness, was one of 11 ministry leaders arrested July 28 after ignoring calls to leave the Capitol Rotunda and charged with a misdemeanor. The court dropped the misdemeanor charge against 10 of the 11 ministers Tuesday. One of ministers pled guilty and paid a $50 fine.

Despite his brush with the law, Nelson is urging religious leaders to get involved in other protests, namely the "Occupy Wall Street" protests. more >>

Scott Anderson, an official with the Wisconsin Council of Churches, is set to be the first openly homosexual man to be ordained a pastor in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Saturday.

"The decision to remove sexual conduct from PC(USA) ordination vows is symptomatic of a deeper, ongoing struggle within the church over the authority of holy scripture," said Presbyterian Action Committee Chairman Gary Green. "This action stands in contradiction to the PCUSA confessions of faith, which continue to teach that faithful Christians have the choice either to be faithful in marriage or chaste in singleness."

The ordination comes after a majority of presbyteries in the PC(USA) voted to remove the "fidelity/chastity" standard from the church constitution earlier this year. In July, the standard was changed from one that required either a single man to remain chaste or a married man to remain faithful to his wife, but the new requirement does not address guidance for sexual behavior, nor does it include a biblical reason for why non-marital sexual relationships are now acceptable for ordained ministers. more >>