Last week I wrote an introduction to spiritual abuse and how laity and officers should respond. A correspondent writes to ask what the laity are to do when when ruling elders and ministers refuse to address a situation. May a lay member of a URCNA congregation address a matter herself? Yes, indeed, a lay person may indeed address a matter herself even if the local elders or ministers refuse. As I explained, the various NAPARC denominations and federations each have books of church order. Let us consider the church order of my own federation, the United Reformed Churches in North America.