Most denominations have a "range" of attitudes that can be plotted on a continuum. In my former group, the head of the denomination believed it to be 10% hard left, 10% hard right, and everyone else in the middle. In my current synod, it is claimed to be 20% missional, 20% confessional, and the rest in the middle. Regardless of the continuum (theological, sociological, or political), bureaucrats tend to think in terms of those to the left (on whatever issue) and those on the right as the ones who will make noise objecting to denominational stands, policies, and priorities.
In 1995 I conducted a social science study as part of a dissertation project in organizational management. It confirmed what other studies have shown: denominational bureaucrats in most mainline groups are more liberal than pastors; pastors are more liberal than lay persons. (An old SBC study once demonstrated that education correlated with theological drift left, the more graduate study a person had, the more likely to take non-conservative theological views).
Denominations are "run" by bureaucrats with extra advanced degrees and elected posts tend to be over represented with more liberal clergy from smaller congregations (church politics is their most "significant" service in their minds). In such a world, it is not uncommon for the politics and pronouncements of the headquarters (including their publications) to be left of center while significant numbers of congregations (and certainly lay persons) hold to the views formerly associated with the denomination.
I would not be surprised if there were quite a few folks in the PCUSA that could be considered conservative, despite their liberal head office. That is certainly true of groups like the UMC and the ABC. Both groups have a solidly "progressive" rep which is richly deserved by their actions on such issues as homosexuality, feminism, abortion, etc. Yet each of those groups has significant numbers of conservatives who are as conservative as any broad evangelical might be. THE UMC, for example, has a very strong evangelical renewal group opposed to the liberalism in that denomination. And, I know of dispensational, KJVO, and nearly landmarkist congregations in some of the ABC regions.
