Well, I updated the news of the Riverside PC of Linn Grove, Iowa, earlier today but since then a flurry of additional items have broken, all ultimately involving property.  I'll give you my observations on it at the end, but here is what has become public in the last 48 hours:

1. I have already discussed the vote at the Riverside Church and the called meeting of Prospect Hill Presbytery to address that.
2. The Layman is reporting possible similar action by the Windsor Presbyterian Church of Des Moines, Iowa.  The church has called a congregational meeting for this Sunday, August 13, and any action will be considered/responded to at the next stated meeting of the Presbytery of Des Moines on August 19.  Interestingly, the presbytery web site currently has a broken link to their "call" (docket?) for August 19.
3. The PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly has just issued a new Advisory Opinion on "Implementing the Trust Clause for the Unity of the Church."
4. The Layman has been supplied with two PC(USA) legal documents dealing with implementing the trust clause.  One of these ("Church Property Disputes: A Resource for those Representing Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbyteries and True Churches in the Civil Courts.") addresses civil cases the other ("Processes for use by presbyteries in responding to congregations seeking to withdraw.") ecclisastical law.
   

So, where does that leave us?

I find it interesting, this outbreak of  secession in Iowa.  What is going on in the Synod of Lakes and Prairies?
But other than the coincidence of geography and the broken link on the Presbytery of Des Moines' web site I am willing to let this take its course as I wrote in my post earlier today.  I pray it will be done decently and in order, but not legalisticly and vindictively.

The new advisory opinion I find a bit more disturbing.  Is the timing a coincidence or was OGA holding it until a real threat arose?  While I agree with much of it, particularly point I (I. There is not a unilateral right of a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation to depart from the denomination or its presbytery of membership.), it seems to take a darker tone in point II (II. There are also significant restrictions on how and under what circumstances a presbytery may release a congregation.) and really sounds controlling when you get to point III ( III. If a presbytery fails to carry out these constitutional responsibilities, the synod may be required to intervene.)

Finally, the two legal papers have some significant "strategy" points to them that are due to what they are, legal discussions, as opposed to sermons on grace and forgiveness.  I have only skimmed them but hope to read them in more detail this weekend.  But sections of them have a real "take no prisoners" tone to them.

So I ask again, where does this leave us?  I struggled with the title I gave this post hoping that I was not over reacting.  But reviewing the OGA material again, I am really left with the feeling they are setting themselves up to win the individual battles of keeping the buildings, but losing the war by having the membership leave the denomination and in a way that does not bring glory to God and testify to the grace and forgiveness Christians are to demonstrate to the world.  The PC(USA) may end up with a lot of empty structures if this is done wrong.

Will this be the dividing point in the PC(USA)?  I don't know.  If each of the presbyteries, synods, and the GA do it right, we might end up with a smaller PC(USA) but our mutual forbearance will be a witness to the world.  If we do it wrong, it could get really ugly.

I will admit that I did not expect this to be the constitutional crisis.  I hoped and prayed that the new authoritative interpretation would get us through another two years without being tested.  However, the pragmatist in me expected one of several presbyteries to test the "local option" and I wanted it to play out in the PC(USA) PJC system first before we got to the point of congregations packing up and leaving the denomination.  Unfortunately, it appears that some congregations are jumping to the "end game" and trying exit strategies now.  May God grant us wisdom and discernment in the days ahead and grace and forgiveness in our dealings within the PC(USA).