By Eric Parry
Staff writer
August 05, 2008 05:49 pm LONDONDERRY — The 86 members of the Londonderry Presbyterian Church who prefer to stay affiliated with Presbyterian Church USA will take ownership of the town's oldest house of worship and the property as part of a settlement reached Aug. 4 with a majority group of worshippers that voted to change national affiliations last September. The 208 members of the majority group, which voted to affiliate with the more conservative New Wineskins Evangelical Presbyterian Church, will receive 15 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the 126 Pillsbury Road church, according to a joint statement found on both parties Web sites. The Presbyterian Church USA group will also retain the Londonderry Presbyterian Church name, according to the statement. The agreement has been approved by the governing bodies of both churches, however it is still subject to ratification votes by each church's congregation by Aug. 31.
The joint statement released by the two congregations reads as follows: "The Presbytery of Northern New England, the Session of the Londonderry Presbyterian Church (a particular church of the Presbyterian Church (USA)), and the currently unnamed New Wineskins Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Londonderry have reached agreement to resolve their lawsuit. Under the settlement agreement which has been approved by both churches' governing bodies, but is subject to ratification votes by each church's congregation by August 31st, the Londonderry Presbyterian Church, which is a particular church of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), would receive the name, buildings, and property at 126 Pillsbury Road. The New Wineskins Church would receive 15 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to this location. All parties involved are grateful that this outcome could be reached, and pray that God's Spirit will continue to move powerfully in Londonderry. Praise God!"
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