18 May 2011

Presbyterians Week Headlines

[1] Vienna [Virginia] Presbyterian Church Ignored Insurance Company Directives to Stop Admitting Liability for Sexual Misconduct of Former Youth Worker

[2] Tucson, Arizona, PCUSA Church Celebrates Presbytery Majority Vote to Eliminate Fidelity and Chastity Standards with Special Service Welcoming GLBT Community

[3] EPC Representatives Present for Creation of Association of Reformed Churches of Kazakhstan

[4] UK Organizations and Members from Scientific, Religious, and Secular Groups Equate Biblical Creationism with “Flat-Earthism and Alchemy”

[5] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) 2011 General Assembly Begins 23 May 2011 at Liberton Kirk, Kirkgate, Liberton, Edinburgh, Scotland

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[1] Vienna [Virginia] Presbyterian Church Ignored Insurance Company Directives to Stop Admitting Liability for Sexual Misconduct of Former Youth Worker

An 11 May 2011 article in The Daily Mail titled “Fury as Insurance Company Tells Church: 'Don't Admit Abuse - You'll Have to Pay Compensation'” reports that after the session of Vienna Presbyterian Church (Presbyterian Church (PCUSA)) in Vienna, Virginia, in March 2011 began apologizing to church members for failure to prevent the sexual abuse of underage girls by former student ministries director Eric DeVries between 2001 and 2005, the church’s insurance company GuideOne sent the church a letter stating:

“Do not make any statements, orally, in writing or in any manner, to acknowledge, admit to or apologize for anything that may be evidence of or interpreted as (a suggestion that) the actions of Vienna Presbyterian Church … caused or contributed to any damages arising from the intentional acts/abuse/misconduct.”

The church sent out the next day a letter of apology to church members, and Pastor Peter James the following Sunday preached about the scandal saying:

“We won't hide behind lawyers. … Jesus said the truth will set us free,”

and addressed the women abused by DeVries saying:

“We, as church leaders, were part of the harm in failing to extend the compassion and mercy that you needed….Some of you felt uncared for, neglected and even blamed in this church. I am truly sorry … I regret the harm this neglect has caused you….”

The church has refused to invoke a two-year statute of limitations or question the sexual background of the abused women. Ruling Elder Peter Sparber commented:

“The directions from the insurance company and its lawyer were clear and possibly correct from a legal perspective….They did their job, but as elders, we had to do ours….We still have lots of work cleaning up the mess created by Eric DeVries, but not following their legal advice was a good start.”

For further background information, please see the 6 April 2011 Presbyterians Week article “[2] PCUSA Church in Vienna, Virginia, Apologizes for 2001-2005 Sexual Abuse of Teenage Girls by Youth Director”.


+ The Daily Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT, England, 020-7938-6000, news@dailymail.co.uk

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005

+ GuideOne Insurance, 1111 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265, 877-448-4331, Contact Form


[2] Tucson, Arizona, PCUSA Church Celebrates Presbytery Majority Vote to Eliminate Fidelity and Chastity Standards with Special Service Welcoming GLBT Community

A 16 May 2011 FOX11 article titled “Tucson Church Holds Service Welcoming GLBT Community” reports that in response to the majority vote of Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) presbyteries to eliminate fidelity and chastity standards for ministers and elders, Saint Mark's Presbyterian (SMP) church of Tucson, Arizona, on 15 May 2011 held a special worship service welcoming the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) community.

SMP Pastor the Rev. Gustie Newquist commented: “We're a church that is reformed and always being reformed according to the word of god that we never quite have all the answers….It takes an openness of heart, it takes courage to say that I was wrong and I want to make that right."


+ FOX11, 1855 North 6th Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85705, 520-770-1123, Contact Form

+ Presbyterian Church (PCUSA), 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 888-728-7228, Fax: 502-569-8005

[3] EPC Representatives Present for Creation of Association of Reformed Churches of Kazakhstan

Representatives of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) on 8-9 May 2011 at the Altyn Kargaly in Almaty, Kazakhstan, participated in the creation by six churches of the Association of Reformed Churches of Kazakhstan (ARCK).

A 1995 church plant by EPC World Outreach was the beginning of evangelizing, discipling, and organizing efforts to the groups that would become ARCK churches.


+ Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 17197 North Laurel Park Drive Suite 567, Livonia, Michigan 48152, 734-742-2020, Fax: 734-742-2033, webmaster@epc.org


[4] UK Organizations and Members from Scientific, Religious, and Secular Groups Equate Biblical Creationism with “Flat-Earthism and Alchemy”

Ekklesia announced 16 May 2011 that organizations and members from scientific, religious, and secular groups have issued a letter calling upon Great Britain’s Department for Education for clarity in the in guidance on the teaching of ‘creationism’, saying that schools should not be letting beliefs that reject modern scientific method be taught as scientific, in much the same way as flat-earthism and alchemy would never be presented in schools as scientific ‘alternatives’.


+ Ekklesia, 2nd Floor, 145-157 St. John Street, London EC1V 4PY, England, 0845 056 5445, press@ekklesia.co.uk


[5] Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) 2011 General Assembly Begins 23 May 2011 at Liberton Kirk, Kirkgate, Liberton, Edinburgh, Scotland

The 2011 General Assembly (GA) of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) (FCSC) will meet in Liberton Kirk, Kirkgate, Liberton, Edinburgh, Scotland, commencing on Monday 23 May 2011at 6 p.m.

In advance of the FCSC GA, a press release was issued stating:

“At a time when the country is confronted with a determined onslaught by, amongst other pressures, militant secularism, aggressive attempts at isalmification and religious teaching which runs contrary to the Bible, the Public Questions, Religion & Morals Committee of the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) argue in their annual Report to the General Assembly that the government both in Westminster and in Holyrood should return to the Bible as the source of all proper and wholesome law.”

Additionally included in the matters scheduled for the FCSC GA is a “Report of the Special Committee on Psalmody”, which includes the following proposed deliverance:

“The General Assembly reaffirm their commitment to the exclusive use of inspired materials of praise in the public worship of God as being consistent with Scripture and the Standards of the Church, as well as being authentically ecumenical and providing historical continuity with the Church in all ages; they pray that in a day of increasing will-worship, many will return to the simplicity of God-ordained
worship and praise;”


+ Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Rev. John MacLeod, Free Church Manse, Portmahomack, Ross-shire, Scotland, mailto:principalclerk@fccontinuing.org?subject=