THE chasm between Tarrant Baptist Church (TBC) and its parent body, the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU), widened on Monday with congregants approving a motion to formally move away from the union.

During a meeting Monday evening hundreds of members of TBC, and its affiliate Balmagie Baptist Church, voted to cut all ties and allegiance with the JBU, ending a decades-long association.

According to reports out of the meeting, there were five or six dissenting voices as the motion, tabled by the church council, was passed.

A second motion establishing Apostle Jeffrey Shuttleworth as pastor of both churches also had near unanimous approval.

“The leaders and members unanimously and unequivocally registered their unwavering support of Apostle Shuttleworth, who was called, interviewed, and employed by the Tarrant and Balmagie Circuit of Baptist Churches since February 1, 2008,” TBC said in a statement.

“The meeting also affirmed that Jamaica Baptist Union does not own Tarrant Baptist Church or Balmagie Baptist Church, or any of the assets of both churches.

“The meeting was reminded of the vision and mission of the Tarrant and Balmagie Baptist churches, which is to worship the true and living God, evangelise and spread the gospel of Christ to all nations. This remains unchanged,” added the church.

The decision by the membership of TBC is the latest in the clashes between Shuttleworth and the JBU.

The two are already before the courts over the ownership of the premises on Molynes Road in St Andrew where the church is housed. That matter is set to be heard in October.

Earlier this month The Gleaner reported that the JBU’s Special Assembly voted on June 11 to revoke Shuttleworth’s status as an accredited minister, effectively barring him from leading any of its affiliated churches.

The decision followed unspecified complaints and came amid the dispute over the property.

But Shuttleworth has argued that he walked away from the JBU before that decision was made, after he had already cut his ties with the body.