Read the letter from ousted First Presbyterian pastor to his Charlotte congregants
Former Pastor Pen Peery of First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte wrote a letter to his congregation that was sent with the information they received about his ouster because of misconduct. It begins:
I have difficult news to share. And, oh my, it is difficult on so many levels.
Effective immediately, I am very sorry to say that I will no longer be able to be your pastor.
I have broken my marriage vows and (in the process) my ordination vows, behaving in shockingly sinful ways and I desperately need to do the hard work of reckoning and healing.
Read the full letter below.
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 12:09 PM.
Jeff A. Chamer
The Charlotte Observer