From: Danny Giffen [mailto:dgiffen@covpres.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2011 2:53 PM
To: Danny Giffen
Subject: Prayer for the Boyds (Please forward immediately to your SS classes)
Dear Covenant members,
As many of you are aware, Bill Boyd, Mark Lee and Bill Bennett are traveling to Austin, TX today. Their purpose is for Bill Boyd to appear before a South Texas Presbytery judicial commission on Thursday and Friday. This appearance is related to charges that have been brought against him in that forum. The specifics of the charges involve relational differences and difficulties surrounding a potential church plant of All Saints Presbyterian Church. Why such issues would rise to the level of charges is one of our primary questions and a particular reason we and others have gone to great lengths to piece together the context in which ministry was taking place while Bill Boyd was the senior pastor in Austin.
Those representing Bill Boyd, including a practicing attorney and Ruling Elder in the South Texas Presbytery, have sought and continue to seek two paths to resolve this matter. Firstly, they have worked toward a peaceful conclusion in hopes of avoiding a formal judicial process. From the beginning, certain parties have emphasized the relational nature of these situations and typically relationships are not healed in a judicial setting. Secondly, the team has worked toward mounting a vigorous defense and offense against these charges. To the latter end, several witnesses are flying in from St. Louis, Chicago and Washington D.C. to testify both in regard to Bill's character and to specific events and persons. We even have received a testimony from a witness who is ministering in Sudan speaking to the true nature of the Boyds’ sabbatical in the fall of 2010. In addition, friends, colleagues and witnesses from Austin will appear with the intent that the truth be made clear regarding the past few years of life and ministry for Bill and Martha at All Saints Presbyterian Church.
Again, there remains the possibility of a peaceful conclusion without turning to formal procedure. We believe this would also benefit those in Texas who are involved. It is difficult to grasp how a trial would profit anyone in Austin or the South Texas Presbytery.
We need great wisdom as we desire to preserve the peace of the church while also ensuring that the truth be made known. We are asking you, the congregants of Covenant Presbyterian Church to come by the sanctuary at any time on Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm to pray for Bill and Martha Boyd and their family, the meetings and appointments in South Texas, and also the peace and purity of the church. Thank you in advance for your prayers. We will provide an update on Sunday during the morning worship services at Covenant.
On Behalf of the Session
