This is the text of a letter sent by the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Central Florida Presbytery to the Session of First Presbyterian Church in Florida.

February 20, 2002

Mindy Serafin, Clerk of Session
First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian
P.O. Box 781689
Sebastian, Fl. 32978-1689

RE: Norman F. Blessing vs Sebastian Session

Dear Session,

The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Central Florida Presbytery voted unanimously to sustain the complaints of Norman F. Blessing versus the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian (U.S.A.) as found in the Response of Norman F. Blessing, Elder, to the Amended Answer of the Session of First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian (U.S.A.) dated January 30, 2002, except for the order #3 on page 17 not to exclude any duly elected member of session from session meeting and from access to session minutes.

The Permanent Judicial Commission of the Central Florida Presbytery orders the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian to rescind their confession of May 22, 2001, which is in conflict with the Book of Order. G-18.0201 and G-14.0207b.

Further, this order shall be published in the next issue of their newsletter The Presbyterian Post. The statement that ordination and/or installation as officers requires affirmative answers to only the nine questions set forth in G-14.0207, along with the questions, shall be printed in this same newsletter. A copy of such issue shall be forwarded to the Moderator of the P.J.C., Dr. Dale L. Heaton, 1865 Friars Court, Titusville, FL 32796 within 30 days.

The Session of First Presbyterian Church of Sebastian is enjoined from requiring any person to affirm said "confession" as a prerequisite for their ordination and/or installation as officers, and that no one will be required to affirm said "confession" as a prerequisite to employment in any ministry position. This requirement could result in discrimination against non-ordained employees in ministry positions.

(was signed)

Dale L. Heaton, Moderator Permanent Judicial Commission

Norma Blunk Coon, Clerk Permanent Judicial Commission

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