Which is why I plug them as moderates.
A while back there were no women serving as “teaching elders,” even though not forbidden. Has that changed?
(Do they really do tongues?)
“Do they really do tongues?”
Sorry for the slow response. Like much of the EPC, it is local option. I wanted to dig out the official party line on that (some clean up in formatting from a PDF, but no warranties as to appearance):
“Some would require that Christians manifest a particular gift, such as speaking in tongues, as evidence of a deeper work of the Spirit within. Others would have us believe such a gift is no longer available or acceptable. As a Reformed denomination, we adhere strongly to our belief in the sovereignty of God, a belief that does not allow us either to require a certain gift or to restrict the Spirit in how He will work. Rather, we call upon all Christians to open their lives unto God’s Spirit to fill, empower, and “gift” as He sees fit.
http://www.epc.org/file/main-menu/beliefs/position-papers/PositionPaper-HolySpirit.pdf
As for as women - I think your info is dated. At one point, they had several transfers in that were ordained, but not serving in pastorates, as I recall. But with the last influx from the PCUSA, that changed. Having trouble with EPC links. Here’s a 2010 story about it being a non-essential (or what I call local option)
http://theaquilareport.com/evangelical-presbyterian-church-clears-way-for-women-to-serve-as-pastors/
And from 2011
http://www.commercialappeal.com/lifestyle/presbyterians-resolve-conflict-over-ordination-wom
Here’s a link to the position paper- maybe it will work better for you than for me.
http://www.epc.org/file/main-menu/beliefs/position-papers/PositionPaper-OrdinationOfWomen.pdf
A good many former PCUSA congregations from the New Wineskins Transitional Presbytery did indeed join the EPC with their female Teaching Elders.
Whilst the call of a Pastor is the decision of the congregation, such calls must be placed in the hands of the candidate in question by the PRESBYTERY.
It is quite correct that for a time there were no female Teaching Elders in the EPC...Then Cherry Hill Church in Colorado went and ordained another one. After that, the former PCUSA congregations were brought into the denomination with their female Teaching Elders.
On the questions of worship style and the Charisma, that is left to the Senior Pastor and leadership of the congregation respectively. The Pastor has ABSOLUTE control over the worship service to include the selection of music if any.
One can find EPC congregations that are openly Charismatic and some that are hard cessationalists. One will also find congregations that have a contemporary worship style, and some that follow the Regulative Principle of Worship as understood by the PCA or the OPC.
My own congregation once had two female Ruling Elders, yet changed the by-laws so as to exclude female Elders in the future. Ironically one of the female Ruling Elders opposed female Elders. She only agreed to serve because it was an extreme situation.
OBSERVATION:
The position of the EPC as stated by the General Assembly is that question of female Ruling and Teaching Elders is not essential to the existence of Christ's Church. i would observe as a present EPC congregation member that non-celebate, unrepentant gay clergy is ALSO not essential to the existence of Christ's Church...yet the EPC forbids them. Eventually they will have to address the issue.
i may be mistaken on this, but i believe that the ARPC also permits female Deacons, so the issue is not unique to the EPC and the PCUSA.