Macedonia's pastor removed from post
Church withheld dues as means of protest
By Paul Garber
Winston-Salem Journal reporter
Controversial remarks made two years ago by a minister questioning whether Jesus is the sole route to salvation are continuing to have repercussions in the Moravian church.
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Rev. Bob Sawyer said that he was disappoingted with the way things turned out. (Journal file photo)
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The Moravian Provincial Elders' Conference of the Southern Province decided Tuesday night to remove the pastor of Macedonia Moravian Church in Advance. The church has for the past two years withheld dues to the Southern Province as a protest, mainly because it says that the governing body has not backed up its message on salvation with conviction.
The Rev. Greg Little, 38, had been pastor of the church since 1995. Macedonia has about 800 members and is among the largest churches in Davie County and the Southern Province of the Moravian Church.
"I am surprised," Little said of the decision. "Our congregation's leaders have worked very faithfully toward an amicable resolution. Those hopes of ours crashed (Tuesday) night."
The Rev. Bob Sawyer, the president of the Elders' Conference, said he was disappointed with the way things turned out after trying to resolve the conflict with Little for more than a year. "It was, regretfully, a measure that had to be taken," Sawyer said.
Sawyer said that all congregations have agreed to contribute to the work of the Southern Province, and that Little had an obligation to fulfill those duties.
The Rev. Truman Dunn touched off the salvation issue two years ago after he questioned whether Jesus was the only way to salvation. The Elders' Conference at first tried to remove Dunn from Messiah Moravian Church but backed down when members of Messiah's board complained.
Instead, they tabled the matter to give Dunn a year to meet with church officials to discuss his views. Dunn was allowed to keep his pastorate in May of last year, a decision that disappointed many Moravians. Church officials have been working with Dunn and monitoring his sermons since last year, and have been pleased with his performance, Sawyer said.
Marshall Ratledge, the vice chairman of Macedonia's board of elders, said that the congregation wasn't trying to do anything divisive. But he said that the Elders' Conference appears to say one thing publicly but take little or no action on such major topics as salvation.
"We've seen a move away from the authority of scripture and the uniqueness of Christ's death on the cross," he said.
The board continues to support Little, Ratledge said.
Ratledge said that he doesn't know the dollar amount of dues that have been withheld but guessed it was easily a five-figure total. "We feel the money that is given to us comes from God," he said. "We can't give money for things we don't stand for."
Ratledge said he would like the Elders' Conference to reverse its decision to remove Little. If they don't agree to that, they should allow Little the same consideration that was given to Dunn, a significant amount of time to work with church officials to resolve the issue.
Sawyer said that the Elders' Conference has already tried to work with Little for more than a year.
Other Moravian churches have affirmed their belief in Jesus Christ as the way to salvation since the salvation issue arose, he said.
"The message I have been hearing as I travel across the province is that Jesus Christ is our savior and head of the church," Sawyer said.
He said he hopes that an interim pastor can be named within a week.
Little said he hopes that things will work out so that he can come back to the church. "I feel called to continue shepherding this incredible body of Christ," he said. "It's a vibrant congregation."
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