At a Pre-Trial Conference today, September 26th, pertaining to the consolidated complaints against the Presbytery’s action to dismiss the above churches (Synod PJC Reference Numbers R-3 through R-9), the Permanent Judicial Commission (PJC) of the Synod of Southern California and Hawaii:

(1) granted the Motion to Dismiss the complaints, in accordance with the agreement between the complainants and the Presbytery’s Committee of Counsel,

(2) approved the conditions of the Motion to Dismiss described in the settlement agreement as agreed upon by the complainants and the above seven churches, and

(3) vacated the Stays of Enforcement against the dismissals of the above seven churches.

In other words, the judicial proceedings before the Synod PJC are concluded concerning the transfer of these seven churches to ECO.

In the weeks ahead, I plan to release a summary of the terms of the settlement agreement. I also will inform you regarding the two remaining complaints (against the Presbytery’s dismissal of Journey/Westminster and St. Paul’s/Anaheim) as those proceed.

I will be working with each of the seven churches to execute the terms of the dismissals in a manner consistent with our polity and the laws of the State of California. We will have plenty of paperwork to do. Please understand, however, that the dismissals are now complete and the remaining work simply is a matter of getting the job done.

May the Gospel of Christ flourish among all of us—both among those of us who remain within the PC(USA) and among those of us who will make their new home in ECO.

In Christ,

Rev. Forrest Claassen, Stated Clerk