Congregational Meeting - 1/27/2021, 7pm

Location: PPC and online via Google Meet

Purpose: Communicate with congregation regarding discipline issue; prayer.

TE David Hina opened in prayer.

TE David Hina spoke of the way in which the church is a family and suffers when a member fall into sin. He then described the situation that has taken place over the past couple of years with Sarah Grubb. He began by sharing the positive signs of Sarah’s faith in the Lord several years ago, which has given us hope regarding the following situation. About 2 years ago Sarah’s attendance at church declined and the Session learned that she had moved to Blue Ridge to live with a man outside of marriage. The Session has attempted to meet with Sarah numerous times to call her to repentance and has sent numerous letters. Over the course of this time, Sarah has refused to meet with the Session or members of the Session. TE David Hina then expressed the purpose of the discipline process, which is to call a person back to the Lord. The first step is admonishment. This was carried about by a couple of members of the Session individually and by the Session as a whole in a formal letter. The second step is a removal from participation in the Lord’s Supper. This was communicated to Sarah through a formal letter, though she had removed herself from attendance at Providence by this point. The third step is excommunication. This step still serves to call a person back to the Lord. Sarah has essentially excommunicated herself from the church, but it is still an important step for the church to take in the hope that the individual would recognize their sin and repent.

TE David Hina asked for questions from the congregation. Jerry Jenkins asked whether more than one person had met with Sarah at a time or gone to where Sarah is living. While a couple of members of the Session have spoken with her individually, she has refused to meet with us. We have decided not to go to Blue Ridge to attempt to meet with her. Steve Yount asked about whether she was attending another church. We have no knowledge that she is attending another church. Ellie Hendricks asked about whether she has a job. She does have several jobs. Lynn asked about FT. TE David Hina explained how multiple avenues of contact have been attempted. Bo asked about the process continuing indefinitely. TE David Hina explained the mockery of continuing in unrepentant sin and the importance of moving though the process of discipline in a reasonable time frame, while acknowledging that the Session sought to provide ample time for Sarah to respond. Steve asked about the impact of excommunication on the contact members should have with Sarah. TE David Hina answered that any communication expresses a desire for Sarah’s repentance. Faith Williams asked about whether Sarah had any type of mentor relationship. TE David Hina shared the several women who have contact with Sarah that we have communicated with in hopes of reaching her. David Williams asked what we are looking for from Sarah. We are looking for her to meet with the Session to communicated a desire for repentance or to meet with a godly mentor, showing a desire to turn back to the Lord. Bill asked whether this happens often and whether anyone has a sense for what Sarah wants. His primary question was one of timing. RE Wil Meiners shared that there has been one other case of church discipline at Providence that led to excommunication since he joined the church in 2005. TE David Hina shared that attempts to determine what Sarah wants have not been responded to and that the Session believes that this third step of excommunication is necessary at this time, with the hope that it will call Sarah to repentance.

TE David Hina gave encouragement to the body to have in place means of accountability to keep us from going astray unchecked. He they suggested areas of prayer for Sarah: that she would recognize her sin and repent, for a church to minister to her, for Geoff and Dale and their family’s interaction with Sarah.

We spent time in prayer for Sarah, with TE David Hina closing.

TE David Hina communicated that this is a matter for the membership of Providence.

Steve Yount made a motion to adjourn; Jerry Jenkins seconded the motion; all were in favor.

The meeting ended at 8:12pm.