"In fact, only once in the Old Testament is someone contacted from beyond the grave."
Why the limitation of the OT. Didn't Moses and Elijah appear at the transfiguration. Didn't the souls of many of the dead appear after the resurection. What is your interprutatoin of Heb 12:1 and you ignor revaltatoins 5:8 where the prayers of the saints are presented in heaven by the angels and the elders bow down in prayer before the throne.
Rev 5:8
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twentyfour elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
It says the prayers of all the saints were offered in rev 8:3
Revelation 8:3
Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
Now is there any indication that ALL does not include the saints in heaven. Now what would the saints in heaven be praying about? There is nothing they need, they are completely happy, they don't need to pray for things except for what could be happening on this earth. So you are wrong.
PC USA hey? I just heard a thing on the radio where this guys mom is a pastor at PC USA (something the Southern Baptists recently rejected) and she said that when she went to conferences she was roomed with lesbian ministers. Now why on earth do you have lesbian ministers. I should also look up your teaching on abortion. It is, well let's say rather liberal. Pre-marital sex, seems it's on the liberal order also. So you think we have problems with the Bible. Fornication condoned would be a problem.