The Presbytery of Barrie has delayed deciding whether to dissolve the congregation of Trinity, Oro, until February. In August, most of the congregation of the church, about 100 kilometers north of Toronto, decided to leave the denomination and form a new non-denominational church.
At a meeting in October, presbytery said it wants the extra time to discern if there are enough people who want to continue a Presbyterian presence in Oro. The delay means Presbyterians at Trinity will continue to meet in the new church, while those joining the new Connexus Community Church will meet in rented space.
The resignations of the ministers, Rev. Carey Nieuwhof and Rev. Patrick Voo, were accepted as of Oct. 31 by presbytery in September.
While issues of theology didn't arise at the October meeting, in September, Nieuwhof admitted he was “not comfortable in Presbyterian skin anymore,” noting recent debates about same-sex marriage, the authority of Scripture, and whether Jesus is the only path to salvation. “My departure is inevitable.”
Nieuwhof said countless organizational tasks now await him and his staff, including finding 450 volunteers to launch Connexus, and leaving Trinity in “the best shape possible” for the continuing congregation. He said $50,000 has already been donated to the new ministry from members of his congregation.
“About two-thirds of our congregation was not here when we moved into the Trinity building,” Nieuwhof said in an interview. “People are tingling with excitement, knowing they're part of something new. It's their turn to step up and take their part in shaping this part of the journey.”
Trinity was formed from a former three-point charge in 2000 under Nieuwhof's leadership. He had arrived in 1995. The church's mission soon developed an evangelical focus, attracting the unchurched, with up to 800 people attending each Sunday, some travelling more than 90 minutes to do so.
Trinity's leadership team first approached presbytery with plans to set up a multi-site ministry—or satellite churches—in July 2006.
The idea of actually leaving the denomination didn't surface publicly until a few months ago. Nieuwhof has said it could take years for such a proposal to come to fruition within the Presbyterian Church, although presbytery officials were open to the satellite concept.
“If we could think more about creating space for God's kingdom, and space for innovation, I think we'd all be further ahead,” said Nieuwhof, while reflecting on the past year. “We need a chance not just to dream, but to realize those dreams in a flexible and timely manner.”
As reported in the October Record, a congregational meeting was held in August, at which 97 per cent of the nearly 400 people in attendance voted to leave. Given the size of the congregation, however, Presbytery wondered how others felt about the split. They voted then to delay decisions about the congregation's future until the October meeting, naming Rev. Dr. Neal Mathers of Emmanuel, Nottawa, as interim moderator.
On Oct. 1, 36 people met with Mathers to discuss a continuing Presbyterian congregation. Others responded by email. Mathers told presbytery he sensed “frustration, sadness and dismay” that things have happened so quickly and that the focus for Trinity's leadership moved from discussions about satellite ministry to leaving the denomination entirely—without the congregation being informed of the change until the meeting in August.
Mathers said many questions were raised, including how a remaining congregation could carry the costs of maintaining the building, pegged at about $110,000 annually. That includes payments on the approximate $500,000 mortgage but does not cover staff or programming.
While Trinity has paid this year's principle on the mortgage, the remaining congregation will have to make interest payments of $2,700 a month. Presbytery was told that Trinity's building fund (created when the 18,000-square-foot facility was built three years ago) will likely cover costs in the interim.
“We didn't set out to build a building, but to start a mission,” Nieuwhof told presbytery. “We're not dependent on keeping this building.” Nieuwhof said if Trinity is dissolved in February, Connexus might re-examine the prospect of buying it from the denomination. Nieuwhof and his team had previously offered $506,000 for the building.
The current facility is valued at about $1.6 million. Besides the funds raised from selling the three former church properties, Canada Ministries gave Trinity a non-repayable grant for $135,000. The Presbyterian Church Building Corporation guaranteed the Royal Bank Mortgage, which still has $464,000 outstanding. There are two smaller loans. A private trust from an estate is owed about $63,000 and the national church lending fund is owed about $46,000.
Rev. Keith Boyer was named co-interim moderator (along with Mathers) and an assessor session of three people from other congregations was appointed to study the issue further and present their findings in February. The session will remain active until there is a viable continuing congregation to elect its own elders, or until the congregation is dissolved by presbytery.
“This has not been an easy time,” said Mathers, who thanked Trinity's leadership for their assistance over the last month. “But I believe [Nieuwhof and his leadership team] are people of honesty and integrity, and they have my blessing.”
“The fields are ripe for the harvest, so we have to do it now,” said Dianne Hibranth, a Trinity member and former member of the original three-point charge. “We're excited about expanding our ministry, even if that means walking away from the building. We leave with anticipation of what God has in store. God has called us, and He will provide.”
Authority for assets and liabilities lies with the trustee board of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. If the congregation is dissolved next year, assets and liabilities would become the responsibility of the trustee board. If a Presbyterian congregation continues, it will retain the assets and liabilities. The church's chief financial officer, Stephen Roche, and principal clerk Stephen Kendall, have met with presbytery and Trinity's leadership team several times. The trustee board has said it will not entertain any offers until (and if) the congregation is dissolved.
“We don't know if six, 60 or 600 people will meet,” said Jim Sitler, presbytery clerk. “But more importantly, will there be a desire for continued ministry in this area? That's where the numbers will make a difference. We have a responsibility to any remaining Presbyterians. We can't just turn and walk away.”
“It's regrettable that Trinity was in such a rush and would not let the matter of satellite ministry be explored through the process and time that our polity demands,” said Peter Ruddell, a retired minister asked by presbytery to attend the congregational meeting to answer questions on the voting process, speaking after the September presbytery meeting.
After Nieuwhof thanked the court for its grace and blessings, Sitler thanked Carey for his friendship, noting he will be praying for all involved. “I have seen divisions before, even divisions that split families apart. But God's work can grow out of that. Wherever God leads you as a congregation, whether here or another building, or to no building, in the long run, it doesn't matter. Just serve Christ!”
