[pelathais]

Your post actually reflects the dilemma that many people are facing. In answer (sort of) to your question: A lot depends upon the role that your current pastor had in founding the church. If he wasn't a part of the church's founding or even the founding pastor, then his responsibilities are a little different than that of a founder.

This is reflected in the By-Laws of the UPCI. A founding pastor has greater leeway and autonomy in an affiliated church than a man that is hired, comes in and then wants to take the church out of the org. The ethics around taking a church out of fellowship or affiliation is the same.

As far as your role, I feel that if you have invested a substantial amount of your life and resources to a church then you have an important say. The fact that the pastor intimated to you earlier what his plans were to be would make it seem like he respects your input in some way as well. It's a difficult decision to make.

One thing that could be a likely scenario- though I obviously have no idea about your particular case - is that a board member could call for a board meeting to discuss "the office of pastor." Article 3, Section 3 (b) of the Local Church Government in the UPCI Manual details the steps involved.

Now this would be contingent upon the following:

1) Either that the church in question is affiliated with the UPCI or,

2) That a similar form of Local Church Constitution is in place despite the church not being affiliated.

But if the church does have this in their local By-Laws (a likelihood in most UPC type churches), then a single board member could set things in motion to remove the pastor.