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Thank you all very much for this wonderful information and advice. I spoke with my old pastor on the phone last night, and the situation is exactly as described in the posts above concerning other small churches.

My hometown church has already left PC(USA) and joined the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and so now PC(USA) is turning loose its attack dogs and demanding a large cash payment, or else the keys to the church building and the pastor's manse. He's got some smart but inexperienced people helping him and there are going to be some negotiations since the congregation can hardly afford what PC (USA) wants, and so I have no idea how this is going to play out. I sent him everything that has been said here, along with the associated web links, and so we will be making a difference in this case.

My warmest thanks to everybody who responded on this thread!