Free Republic

The following statement was issued by the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood on Sept. 30, 2005. "We, the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, met with Rev. Dr. Meenan and Rev. Dr. Manock. We made the very difficult decision that returning the pastors is not in the best interest of the church, or the pastors. Therefore we asked for their resignations." Our Session has called a Congregational Meeting on October 9th after services in the Sanctuary at 12:30 PM, for the purpose of at which time the A.C. will share it's research findings.

LOS ANGELES - When the Rev. Alan Meenan took over as senior pastor at the nationally prominent Hollywood First Presbyterian Church, it had been losing members for 20 years. Now, hundreds of new worshippers are flocking to an alternative service staged by the church at a nearby nightclub that offers live rock music and a casual atmosphere that doesn't frown on flip-flops and nose piercings. The service, called Contemporary Urban Experience, has bolstered membership at one of the most storied Presbyterian congregations in the country. But it has also created a deep rift between old and new members that threatens...

The Presbytery of the Pacific has taken steps to oust two ministers from Hollywood Presbyterian Church in California, one of the most prominent evangelical congregations in the United States. The presbytery's Committee on Ministry asked Alan J. Meenan, the senior minister, and David Manock, associate pastor of program and ministries, to resign, but they refused. They are supported by overwhelming majorities of the 2,700-member congregation and the 24-member session. Nonetheless, the committee – without specifying any reasons other than the "peace, purity and unity" of the congregation – is pressing for their resignations. The presbytery has scheduled a special meeting...