Date of
church vote

Church name

City, state

Member-
ship*

Presbytery

Action(s) taken

Affiliate
with

12/2/01

Norcrest

Findlay, Ohio

491

Maumee Valley

congregation voted 209-19 leave PCUSA; Pastor fired 1-21-02 and church property confiscated

EPC

Dec-02

Circleville

Circleville, N.Y.

100

Hudson River

congregation voted 72-2 to leave PCUSA; pay $112,500 – 10 % of property value

EPC

2000

Hephzibah

Bessemer City, N.C.

50

Western N.C.

2002 congregation vote to leave; presbytery ultimately won a civil court ruling that awarded the presbytery the property. That ruling was later upheld by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Final action: presbytery seized the church manse, got $12,225.54 in rental income and sold it for $82,000. In addition, the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church sent the presbytery $20,000 as the first of five annual payments by the congregation to buy the property back from the presbytery

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Jul-03

Rivermont

Lynchburg, Va.

911

Peaks

congregation voted 95% to leave PCUSA; exit toll of 30% of the $3,775,498 value of property

EPC

Apr-04

First

Charleston, Miss.

102

St. Andrew

congregation voted 75-1 to leave PCUSA; paid presbytery $75,000 to leave with property

PCA

4/24/04

First

Warsaw, Ind.

721

Wabash Valley

congregation voted 325-0 to leave PCUSA; leave with its property upon payment of $95,743

EPC

Jan-05

First

Laredo, Texas

40

Mission

congregation voted 33-0 to renounce jurisdiction; dismissed; property undecided: $66,500 proposed

EPC

Jan-05

Serone

Artesia, Calif.

33

Hamni

congregation decided to leave PCUSA and keep property; confidential settlement reached in 2006

Jan-05

Ephrata (Community)

Ephrata, Wash.

202

Central Washington

congregation voted 75-24 to leave; majority formed Community Pres.; minority is Ephrata Pres.

EPC

1/10/05

Church of Ridgebury

Ridgebury, N.Y.

29

Hudson River

congregation voted to leave the PCUSA; NY Supreme Court ruling congregation owns property; joined EPC in 1/27/07.

EPC

4/10/05

Riverside

Sartell, Minn.

161

Minnesota Valleys

congregation voted 84-24 to leave the PCUSA

EPC

Apr-05

First

Torrance, Calif.

2,700

Hanmi

congregation voted 781-144 to leave the PCUSA

Korean Pres. Church in America

5/16/06

Third

Dubuque, Iowa

160

John Knox

presbytery vote 54-7 let church join EPC 6/1/06; church gave monetary 'gift' to keep property

EPC

7/30/06

Olivet Evangelical

Evansville, Ind.

170

Ohio Valley

116 out of 118 voted to request presbytery to let church leave w/property, finances; presbytery dismissed church in Dec. 2006 and filed suit for the church property on 7/2/07 in Vanderburgh County Circuit Court in Evansville, Ind.

EPC

8/1/06

First (Evangelical)

Cedar Grove, Wis.

68

Milwaukee

congregation pay $150,000 settlement to keep property; was First, now First Evangelical

EPC

8/10/06

French Camp

French Camp, Miss.

94

St. Andrew

session ask to leave w/property. Presbytery voted 5/1/07 to dismiss w/property for $30,000

ARP

8/13/06

Windsor

Des Moines, Iowa

170

Des Moines

congregation voted 53-26 to separate from PCUSA

independent

8/27/06

Riverside

Linn Grove, Iowa

124

Prospect Hill

congregation voted 83-0 to petition for membership in the PCA; presbytery filed lawsuit for property

PCA

8/30/06

Kirk of the Hills

Tulsa, Okla.

2,800

Eastern Oklahoma

congregation voted 96 % (967-36) to leave the PCUSA

EPC

10/8/06

Stow

Stow, Ohio

262

Eastminster

congregation vote upheld unanimous session vote to leave PCUSA. The church and presbytery reached an agreement -- approved by presbytery commissioners at at a 5/13/08 meeting -- that the church be dissolved as a congregation within the denomination. It will retain its name, property and assets. In exchange, the church will give $40,000 to several presbytery mission projects over the next five years.

not decided

11/5/06

Hudson

Hudson, Ohio

502

Eastminster

congregation voted 162-61 for disaffiliation. A magistrate in Summit County Common Pleas Court ruled on Oct. 26, that the property at Hudson Presbyterian Church belongs to the congregation, rejecting the argument of the presbytery that all property of the church is held in trust for the denomination as outlined in the PCUSA constitution. On 5/23/08 Judge Mary F. Spicer upheld the magistrate's ruling. On 2/4/09 an appellate court upheld the decision. On 6/17/09 the Supreme Court of Ohio finalized the earlier decisions by declining jurisdiction in the case.

EPC

1/21/07

Montreat

Montreat, N.C.

438

Western N.C.

congregation voted 311-27 to leave PCUSA with 3 abstentions; presbytery voted to dismiss; property unsettled

EPC

1/28/07

Signal Mountain

Signal Mtn., Tenn.

1,965

East Tennessee

congregation voted 1,172-10 to leave the denomination and 1,138-14 to join the EPC; presbytery voted to dismiss church with property; church must pay presbytery $500,000 over a five year period

EPC

2/25/07

Covenant

Omaha, Neb.

706

Missouri Valley

congregation voted 469-9 to join EPC; 10/4/07 presbytery voted unanimously to let church leave. On 10/4/07, the presbytery unanimously voted to approve Covenant's affiliation with the EPC and the settlement agreement. The agreement states:

• Covenant will pay the presbytery $125,000 immediately and $30,000 a year for the next seven years. These funds are to be utilized for the mission activities of the presbytery.
• The presbytery renounced any claim whatsoever to any of Covenant's property, real or personal.
• Without in any way conceding the propriety of its actions, Covenant agreed to request dismissal from the presbytery and the presbytery agreed to dismiss Covenant and its ministers to the EPC.
• A letter was sent to each member of the congregation advising them that if they wished to remain in the PCUSA, they were free to do so.

EPC

2/25/07

Middle Sandy

Homeworth, Ohio

132

Muskingum Valley

congregation voted 60-2 to leave PCUSA; second congregational vote on 6/3/07 was 95-2 for dismissal; presbytery dismissed church with property on 7/12/07; church will honor its 2007 mission commitments to the presbytery and take up a "love offering" for the presbytery

EPC

3/11/07

Central

Huntsville, Ala.

280

North Alabama

congregation voted 142-9 to leave PCUSA; church pay $250,000 to presbytery by end of 2010

EPC

4/22/07

Beverly Heights

Mount Lebanon, Pa.

343

Pittsburgh

congregation voted 195-4 to leave the PCUSA; 10/18/07 presbytery voted 174 to dismiss church, with 73 against, and two abstentions, effective immediately; church keeps its name and property, valued at more than $1 million; it will pay presbytery $250,000 over 10 years and forfeit $46,655 in a trust account.

EPC

5/6/07

Murphy

Murphy, N.C.

63

Western N.C.

congregation voted 37-7 for dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery voted 7/31/07 to dismiss property in exhchange for $10,000 – $2,000 each year for five years

EPC

6/3/07

Memorial Park

Allison Park, Pa.

1,675

Pittsburgh

congregation voted 951 (91.1%) - 93 (8.9%) to be dismissed from PCUSA; 4 abstentions. Congregation filed a complaint for a declaratory judgment and quiet title Jan. 3 in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court. On 1/20/08, voted 664-25 to sever ties with the PCUSA. On 4/17/08 presbytery voted 152-82 to accept a $575,000 settlement from the church that will allow it to leave the denomination and maintain control of its name and the property and buildings

EPC

6/10/07

Hillsdale

Hillsdale, Kan.

109

Heartland

congregation voted 77-5 to seek dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission rejected the request stating in its report, that it did not complete its consideration of the Hillsdale Church's request "because the stated clerk issued an opinion that stated dismissal could not be made to a transitional presbytery. The Hillsdale Church session was so advised in a meeting on Sept. 9."

EPC

6/9/07

Faith

Brownsville, Texas

54

Mission

congregation will give presbytery 10% of the proceeds from expected sale of the church property in next 10 years

EPC

6/24/07

First

Quincy, Ill.

400

Great Rivers

215 voted;162 (75%) voted to seek dismissal; 53 (25%) voted to remain; following a recommendation from the presbytery's administrative commission to dissolve the church and retain church property, the congregation voted 124-17 on Aug.12 to immediately disaffiliate with PCUSA, join EPC; the church paid the presbytery $196,000 on Jan. 9, a figure that allows the church to be sole owner of the property and facilities and voted 12/23/07 to change name to Faith Presbyterian Church.

EPC

6/24/07

Kishwaukee Community

Stillman Valley, Ill.

407

Blackhawk

253 voted; 251-2 to request dismissal, 252-1 membership in the EPC

EPC

6/24/07

Forks of the Brandywine

Glenmoore, Pa.

207

Donegal

139 voted 136-3 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property

EPC

6/24/07

Great Valley

Malvern, Pa.

221

Donegal

181 voted 179-2 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property

EPC

6/24/07

Upper Octorara

Parkesburg, Pa.

268

Donegal

124 voted 113-11 for immediate disaffiliation; filed lawsuit for property

EPC

6/24/07

First

Paola, Kan.

566

Heartland

congregation voted 200-81 to seek dismissal from PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission rejected the request stating in its report that, "After careful consideration of the facts and provisions of the Book of Order that are applicable, it is the decision of the administrative commission that the request of First Presbyterian Church … be denied." On 12/18/07 presbytery voted to defrock the Rev. Kirk Johnston. In November, a group of congregation members left First Presbyterian to create the Lighthouse Presbyterian Church. 315 people became official members of the new church and the EPC on 1/27/08. Johnston is pastor.

EPC

6/24/07

North Benton

North Benton, Ohio

189

Eastminster

116 voted: 81 (70%) - 29 to seek dismissal; 78 (67%) - 28 seek membership EPC

EPC

7/8/07

Hope

Rogue River, Ore.

88

Cascades

congregation voted 65-3 to "realign its membership" to EPC; first test of church working with presbytery's new process to address withdrawing churches; a lower court decision granted ownership of the building to Hope; the Oregon Court of Appeals granted title of Hope to the PCUSA on April 27, 2011; congregation plans to appeal to the State Supreme Court.

EPC

August, 2007

Grace Chapel

Madison, Miss.

220

Mississippi

The church voted to immediately leave the PCUSA. The Madison County Chancery Court ruled in March the church held a clear title to its property. The church was seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the presbytery from violating a final declaratory judgment that resolved a property ownership lawsuit. Mississippi Presbytery moved the church's request to U.S. District Court, saying there was a federal question about the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. But U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III said there was no such question. His ruling sends the church's motion back to Madison County Chancery Court.

EPC

9/9/07

Peters Creek

Venetia, Pa.

595

Washington

361 voted; 273-86 to leave the PCUSA; presbytery's administrative commission recommended that the church be dismissed from the PCUSA to join the EPC; on 11/4/07 voted 207-26 with five abstentions to leave the PCUSA without presbytery approval, and to immediately affiliate with EPC

EPC

9/23/07

Gashland

Kansas City, Mo.

575

Heartland

333 voting in favor requesting dismissal from PCUSA with its property and 22 voting against; 2 abstentions and 5 ballots being checked on; The presbytery authorized an administrative commission for the church in June.

EPC

9/23/07

First

Waynesville, N.C.

164

Western North Carolina

voted 68-65 not to request dismissal from PCUSA to the EPC. The church's pastor, the Rev. Josh Cole and five of the church's seven session members, as well as the church treasurer, resigned after the vote. Cole began a start-up EPC church the following Sunday, taking 46 members of the PCUSA congregation with him. By unanimous voice vote on 10/26/07, presbytery commissioners approved the administrative commission's original-jurisdiction powers over the remaining PCUSA church

EPC

9/30/07

Londonderry

Londonderry, N.H.

446

Northern New England

voted 208-86 to immediately leave the PCUSA. The tally for disaffiliation represented 71% of those voting and 47% of the church's total membership of 446 that is reported on the denomination's Web site. The motion to join New Wineskins Presbytery of the EPC passed by overwhelming majority; church has filed a property ownership lawsuit against Northern New England Presbytery

EPC

10/14/07

Fair Oaks

Fair Oaks, Calif.

2,286

Sacramento

1,179 voted to request dismissal and 39 voted to stay in the PCUSA; 3/5/07 church filed a lawsuit against the presbytery seeking quiet title to the church property, along with declaratory and injunctive relief. At 12/4/07 meeting, presbytery voted 146-18 to dismiss church. The church must pay either $250,000 by Jan. 31, 2017, or a "discounted early payment option" totaling $180,000 by June 30, 2008. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento filed a notice of appeal and request for a stay with the Synod of the Pacific. The stay will be enforced until the synod's Permanent Judicial Commission addresses the Westminster Church filing. There is no time frame.

EPC

10/14/07

First

Roseville, Calif.

1,143

Sacramento

750 voted to seek dismissal and 10 voted to remain in the PCUSA; 3/5/07 church filed a lawsuit against the presbytery seeking quiet title to the church property, along with declaratory and injunctive relief. At 12/4/07 meeting, presbytery voted 153-11 to dismiss church. The church must pay $160,000 by Jan. 31, 2015. Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sacramento filed a notice of appeal and request for a stay with the Synod of the Pacific. The stay will be enforced until the synod's Permanent Judicial Commission addresses the Westminster Church filing. There is no time frame. A judge ruled 4/8/08 in favor of the church.

EPC

10/29/07

First

Baton Rouge, La.

1,592

South Louisiana

voted 422-60 to leave the PCUSA. The vote to join the EPC was 420-60 with two abstentions. In a 55-13 vote Nov. 4, 2006, the presbytery agreed to a stipulated judgment that said the church "holds all property titled in its name in full, complete and unfettered ownership" and that neither the presbytery "nor any person, entity, administrative unit, agency, commission, committee or governing body action on behalf of the Presbytery of South Louisiana or in its stead, or claiming by, through or under the Presbytery of South Louisiana, has any right, title or interest in or to the property, whether in trust or otherwise, nor any right to determine control, directly or indirectly, the use or ownership of the property."

EPC

11/18/07

Bay

Bay Village, Ohio

2,072

Western Reserve

1,309 ballots were cast. Of those, 1,196 or 91 percent voted for dismissal and 113 or nine percent voted against dismissal. The ballot read "That Bay Presbyterian Church ask to be dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s Presbytery of the Western Reserve to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church's New Wineskins Presbytery; and that the session be authorized on behalf of the congregation to take all actions necessary and appropriate in seeking dismissal, including, but not limited to, entering into binding agreements related to pastors, property, mission, per capita, and amending and restating the by-laws."

EPC

11/25/07

Timberridge

McDonough, Ga.

350

Greater Atlanta

219 (62.5% of members) voted. 205 members (94%) voted for immediate disaffiliation from the PCUSA and 14 (6%) voted against leaving. Church has offered to settle the litigation – if the presbytery first will consider dismissing the church with its property. Presbytery's administrative commission approved at the presbytery's stated meeting Nov. 27, held its first orientation meeting Dec. 12.

independent

12/9/07

Heritage

Houston, Texas

512

New Covenant

299 members – or 58 percent of the church's 512 members – voted in favor of seeking dismissal and 63 members – or 12 percent of the church membership – voted against the request

EPC

12/16/07

St. Paul’s

Somerset, Pa.

332

Redstone

voted 173-10 to request dismissal from the national church with its property. Presbytery voted 48 to 41 on 3/29/08 to grant the church’s request to dismiss the congregation with all its property. The vote lets the church leave with all of its property – real and personal – without paying any money to presbytery.

EPC

12/23/07

First

Corinth, Miss

465

St. Andrew

More than 250 members attended. Of those 246 members or 94% voted to request dismissal, 14 members or 5% voted against the request, and two members abstained. Presbytery commissioners approved -- without a dissenting vote -- a settlement agreement: in exchange for being dismissed with its property, the church will pay $150,000 to the presbytery. The first $25,000 installment is due within 30 days, with five more $25,000 payments to be made annually by the anniversary of the first payment.

EPC

1/27/08

Sierra

Nevada City, Calif.

508

Sacramento

342 or 68 % of the church membership, were in attendance and cast ballots. Of those, 332 members or 97.2 % voted for seeking dismissal and 10 members or 2.8 % voted against asking the presbytery to let it leave the PCUSA with its property for the EPC. The church settled with Sacramento in January 2009 for $75,000.

EPC

2/3/08

Covenant

Fort Myers, Fla.

1,300

Peace River

76%, or 762 people, of the 1,000-plus active members of the church present voted to request dismissal because they believed the PCUSA was taking an anti-Biblical direction. Presbytery voted 2/14/08: 1. Everyone except a handful of Covenant's leaders voted to declare the church was divided. 2. A vote to dismiss the entire congregation from the denomination failed 98-16. 3. voted unanimously to form an administrative commission to work with pastors, elders and members of the church who want to leave the denomination and those who wish to stay. More than 300 PCUSA supporters will remain at Covenant and those individuals who no longer agree with the PCUSA denomination are free to leave. The Rev. Dr. Bill Stephens, senior pastor and head of staff , most of the elders, virtually the entire staff and more than 1,100 of the church's 1,340 members left the church and the denomination March 21. Stephens led the inaugural worship services for New Hope Presbyterian Church on Easter Sunday, March 23. Approximately 1,150 members formed New Hope Presbyterian Church and approximately 500 remained at Covenant.

EPC

2/17/08

Fourth

Friendship, Pa.

40

Pittsburgh

voted 27-2 to ask the presbytery for permission to leave the PCUSA for the EPC. The church didn't ask to keep its property, and the pastor, the Rev. David Schrader, will stay in the PCUSA instead of leaving with the congregation.

EPC

5/4/08

First

Thibodaux, La.

91

South Louisiana

Forty-seven of the 91 voting members were in attendance. All 47 members voted unanimously by ballot to have the church leave the PCUSA and by voice to seek EPC membership. The church was received into the EPC the next day and assigned to the New Wineskins transitional presbytery.

EPC

6/1/08

College Corner (aka First United)

College Corner, Ohio

130

Whitewater Valley

voted 80 (or 82 %) to 17 (18 %) to request dismissal; about 77% of the membership took part in the vote. the church has filed a property ownership lawsuit and obtained a temporary restraining order against the presbytery.

EPC

6/15/08

Lancaster

Lancaster, N.Y.

500

Western N.Y.

voted 243-0 to leave PCUSA and join the EPC; agreed to pay presbytery $550,000 for settlement

EPC

11/2/08

First

Fresno, Calif.

917

San Joaquin

voted 543-10 to leave PCUSA and transfer to EPC

EPC

11/2/08

Trinity

Clovis, Calif.

496

San Joaquin

voted 264-7 to leave PCUSA and transfer to EPC

EPC

10/12/08

Sunset

Portland, Ore.

2,000

Cascades

figure of $428,000 over a number of years was in a jointly approved agreement that was presented to the presbytery, which voted separately on the two cases during a meeting on Nov. 7 and 8

EPC

N/A

Kenton

Portland, Ore.

62

Cascades

church pledged to donate $7,500 to the presbytery, payable at $1,500 a year for five years.

EPC

N/A

Covenant

West Lafayette, Ind.

1,165

Wabash Valley

trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church

EPC

N/A

First

Nappanee,  Ind.

99

Wabash Valley

trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church

EPC

N/A

Attica

Attica, Ind.

90

Wabash Valley

trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church

EPC

N/A

First

Frankfort, Ind.

303

Wabash Valley

trying to leave the PCUSA for more than a year, presbytery has placed administrative commission in charge of church

EPC

11/16/08

First

Kokomo, Ind.

556

Wabash Valley

voted 270 to 38 to disaffiliate from PCUSA and seek membership in the EPC

EPC

N/A    

Chippewa

Beaver Falls, Pa.

170

Beaver-Butler

voted 104-1 to leave PCUSA and join the EPC; the church agreed to pay 5 percent of the value of its property

EPC

1/25/09

Wallace Street

Indianpolis

109

Whitewater Valley

voted 42-2 to leave PCUSA to join EPC; paid the presbytery $42,500 for dismissal 

EPC

1/28/09

Fort Palmer

Bolivar, Pa.

160

Redstone

voted 58-2 to leave the PCUSA and join the EPC

EPC

4/5/09

First    

Aurora, Ill.

847

Blackhawk

voted 317-17 to leave PCUSA and join the EPC

EPC

N/A

Lakeview

Tarpon Springs, Fla.

300

Tampa Bay

the presbytery granted seperation to Lakeview, which went on to join the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC)

ECC