June 16, 2003, the Presbytery of Cincinnati at a Special Called Meeting voted FOR two motions brought by its Committee on Ministry:

(1) 'The Reverend A. Stephen Van Kuiken [pastor of Mt. Auburn P.C.], after consultation and notice, has persisted in a work disapproved by the governing body having jurisdiction. The Presbytery of Cincinnati presumes that he has renounced the jurisdiction of this Church."  (FOR 119; AGAINST 45; Abstain 4)

(2) "To act on the Committee of Ministry's recommendation that the Presbytery of Cincinnati concur with the Administrative Commission 02-01's request to expand its charge to address emerging circumstances at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church.  (FOR)

After nearly 3 hours of testimonies, multiple motions, questions and debate, Moderator Rev. Melissa Sevier led in prayer and announced the vote count on the first motion. She then declared, "Stephen Van Kuiken has renounced jurisdiction...I am directing the Stated Clerk to remove his name from the roll."

Commissioners and Visitor entering the meeting ran the gauntlet of "Soul Force" (pro-gay) members carrying signs reading "We support Stephen Van Kuiken.

The Moderator of the Presbytery outlined the "do's and don't" of the meeting, asked for signs and recording devices to be removed, and admonished speakers to be non-inflammatory and respectful.  She introduced Rev. Keith Gepler (sp?) the Stated Clerk of the Whitewater Valley Presbytery who served as Stated Clerk for the Called meeting. (Cincinnati Presbytery's Stated Clerk, Janis Adams, is a member of Mt. Auburn P.C. and absented herself from being Clerk for this meeting.) 

ORDER OF THE MEETING: 

1. HEARING of Mt. Auburn members. Stephen Van Kuiken selected the 15 speakers who had 2 minutes of testimony - 30 total minutes. Most were half of a same sex couple that had been married by him. With great passion and polished text, they spoke to the Stephen's pastoral care, justice leadership skills and effects on their lives.

2. MOTION. Rev. Bruce Archibald, the Chair of the Committee on Ministry introduced the motions and presented their background and rationale.

3. HEARING of Stephen's Legal Counsel and Mt. Auburn elder, Douglas Ducket (sp?) spoke for 10 minutes using phrases such as "rush to judgment," "the proposal really means 'Let's hang Steve tonight," "Stephen's actions are classic disobedience...like Gandhi and Martin Luther King", "what's the rush...no due process...whirlwind justice," He said,  "I want to speak to the people in the middle of the church - [If you vote yes you will be responsible for] a 'path of exclusion'  (examples ordination of women, Black civil rights, Maurice McCracken excluded from Cinti Presbytery and later honored by the General Assembly).

4. HEARING of Van Kuiken. Stephen spoke for 10 minutes. Action is not just 'have I disobeyed...it's have I acted in obedience to Jesus Christ? The ultimate jurisdiction is Jesus Christ."  Canada's same-sex marriage action and ordination of an openly gay Episcopal bishop cited. The PCUSA is faced with enforcing laws it doesn't really believe in...the "don't ask, don't tell...is not a position of integrity for him.  "Holy Unions" are 2nd Class. He does the same ceremony for all marital unions, gay or straight...the same vows rings, etc. He is facing removal because he is implementing the Session's 'inclusive' policy.

5. MOTION TO POSTPONE: That the Presbytery postpone taking further action against Stephen Van Kuiken or Mt. Auburn P.C. until the Administrative Commission has had an opportunity to do its work and Van Kuiken's appeal to the Synod PJC (or his Presby JPC ruling) has been resolved.  Debated and defeated  - AGAINST 100; FOR 65.

6. SUBSTITUTE MOTION made and perfected.  The Presbytery of Cincinnati dissolved the pastoral relationship of Rev Stephen Van Kuiken and Mt. Auburn P.C. and the Presbytery direct the Committee on Ministry to work with the Mt. Auburn Session on a severance package and report the terms of the package back to the Presbytery by July 8. Friendly amendment "strike COM and substitute Administrative Commission in consultation with the COM."

7. MAIN MOTION perfection opportunity.  No change was made.

8. <<Prayer>> SHALL THE SUBSTITUTE BECOME THE MAIN MOTION?   NO 107; YES 50.

9. DEBATE. Elder from Mt. Auburn spoke on division of opinion in the congregation and the Session on gay and lesbian ordination and marital ceremonies. He spoke of Stephen - "his plan seems to be to make Mount Auburn independent of the PC(USA)".  A Mt. Auburn commissioner began speaking on whether God sees homosexual activity as sinful. Moderator Sevier ruled him out of order.

10. The Question was called.

11. CLOSING STATEMENT. COM Chair spoke refuting earlier comments of opponents that the Motion is "unfair" and "hasty." - We, the COM, are people of good judgment. We voted for the motion because the issue is Van Kuiken's defiance.

Stephen Van Kuiken has made a decision to not abide (defy) the PJC's action. He chose to take a path of defiance. We have no doubt about his pastoral skills, but, his thoughtful, caring, loving decision was to defy. In reference to the earlier testimonies by Mt. A. members, he rejected Stephen's Legal Counsel's guilt-provoking comments..."we're only confirming Van Kuiken's actions."

12.  CLARIFICATION. "Does Van Kuiken have the right to continue his appeal with the Synod?" If there is Complaint or an Appeal, it would be received by the Synod PJC. But it's unclear if the higher court would hear the appeal of someone outside the jurisdiction of the presbytery.

13.  VOTE via secret ballot.  FOR 119, AGAINST 45, ABSTAIN 4.  A protest was filed with the Stated Clerk and will be entered into the Minutes of the Presbytery.

ACTION ON THE SECOND MOTION:

The motion expanded the powers of the Administrative Commission that up to this point has had a "data gathering" role.  Now, in light of Mt. Auburn's needs additional powers were granted.  These are more pastoral and stop short of "original jurisdiction."  Mrs. Pat Brown (former G.A. Moderator ) Chair of the Administrative Commission 02:01, introduced the Commission members. She declared that the Presbytery called the group to serve in a pastoral role and the additional powers would enable the Commission to support and empower the congregation.

There was no further discussion.  VOTE FOR THE MOTION...no division of the house.

Reported by Sharlyn W. Stare