To God be the glory, great things He has done! He tells Isaiah, “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning…I have purposed, and I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:8-11). Hebron has leaned into God for our dismissal from the PCUSA. He did it, and He has supplied the funds for the financial settlement.
The financial settlement approved by the Pittsburgh Presbytery (PP) on May 22 includes a $50,000 payment within 90 days of the ‘way be clear’ (which means once Hebron’s membership approves the settlement and Hebron is accepted into the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC)), and annual payments of $35,000 for the next six years, for a total of $260,000. That amount includes $70,000 for the property (~10% of the appraised value, consistent with prior dismissals), and $190,000 to settle $413,000 of per capita assessments Hebron withheld in protest over the last 30+ years. The $190,000 has two components: $140,000 to reimburse PP for the General Assembly (GA)/Synod portion of the per capita assessment that it is required to pay upstream even though Hebron withheld payment, and $50,000 to PP for support it continued to provide Hebron during the many years of unofficial ‘disaffiliation’.
Settlement negotiations were marked by grace and clearly led by the Spirit. PP’s Administrative Commission and Hebron’s Negotiation Team prayerfully worked as one team of 12 to arrive at a fair settlement. The very nature of a ‘gracious dismissal’ is there are no winners. Each party had to extend grace to arrive at the mutually agreeable settlement.
God was at work all along, even before we knew it. First, before we even started considering dismissal in 2022, God appointed a former member to make a sizeable donation to Hebron that provided Hebron with ‘available funds’ of $140,000 to begin negotiations. Second, God stirred a current member of Hebron to provide a donation of $60,000 to help pay the settlement. Third, a few other members stepped forward to match that $60,000 gift. It’s no coincidence those amounts total $260,000! God not only dismissed Hebron. He paid for it. The financial settlement will not impact Hebron’s Operating Fund budget. We plan to pre-fund some of the annual payments of $35,000 by purchasing an annuity which could lower the total cost of the settlement to ~$240,000.
No doubt your heart is bursting with praise and thanksgiving to God. He is true to His word. You’re saying, “What can I do”? The Session is already in the process of assembling an EPC Revitalization/Vision team to address Hebron’s future to which a current member has already committed $50,000. What about you? You’ll hear more about those plans in the coming months, but if you’re so inclined now, we invite you to fill the storehouse for Hebron’s future by designating any special thank offerings to Hebron’s Future Fund.
In the meantime, mark your calendars. See you July 13 when we vote to accept the settlement terms and move forward with our acceptance into the EPC.