Hi, everyone,
Below you will see my list of significant decisions made by General Assembly on July 8. This is a very brief list, using my words and not the official (and often long) wording actually passed by the general assembly. For more detailed information, go to the pcusa.org web site and look for GA news.
This has been a GA characterized by significant decisions. The debates have been very civil, and commissioners have visibly embodied a great sense of mutual respect, and eve agape love though they have divided strongly on many of the votes.
For today and tomorrow, I will leave most of my personal reflections out of this blog, and instead simply list what I believe are the actions of most interest to the people in the Presbytery of Yukon. However, I have to admit that watching this process and listening to people reflecting on our changing society, I am moved by the stirrings of the Spirit among us, Who I believe is drawing us into a new way of being the church. Also, in the light of the amazing worship services held as a part of this event, I am considering again the role and power of worship in our lives together. I would like to write a few reflections on such things later (maybe starting Monday) in the hopes of hearing back from others of you on your own thoughts regarding how God is forming and reforming the church today.
One other side note: I very much enjoyed dinner with many of the Presbytery of Yukon folks last night (what a great group) and the fellowship of the Synod of Alaska Northwest lunch. Last month’s redefinition of synod mission and practice seems to be at the cutting edge of what so many are calling for across our denomination! I look forward to sharing more with you at a later date.
Peace,
Curt
07 08 10 Thursday GA Notes
2. Voted to give certified Christian Editors who are also elders voice and vote at presbytery, both during their years of service and in retirement.
3. Voted (53% for, 46% against, 1% abstaining) to ask presbyteries to vote on a change in the Book of Order replacing the wording of ordination standards in G-06.0106b from the following:
Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament.
to the following:
Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate’s calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate’s ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates.”
4. Voted not to take action on changes in guidance to pastors or sessions on civil unions, but instead voted to send presbyteries and congregations two reports from the committee assigned to study this, one from the majority of the committee and on from the minority. The two sides split on their recommendations, and the assembly decided studying the thinking of both sides would be helpful. To assist in this, GA also voted to encourage all sessions to engage in study of issues of biblical interpretation using the General Assembly papers, “Presbyterian Understanding and Use of Holy Scripture” and “Biblical Authority and Interpretation.”
5. In this era of reviewing financial justice in America’s corporations, the GA voted to study justice in GAMC salaries, seeking criteria to assure there would not be an unjust disparity between the salaries of the lowest and highest paid church employees.
6. Voted to lift up the Creation Care policy of 1993 and strengthen it with the additions listed below (to see the full document, go to the resources section of our presbytery’s Earthcare web site: www.yukonpresbyteriansforearthcare.ning.com).
Additions:
"[4. Affirm that concern for God's creation is, for every Christian, an essential way of living faithfully in Christ's world that will necessitate personal study of, attention to and engagement with emerging and new environmental concerns that are persistent, acute, and pressing.
"[5. Affirm that the best available science should inform our care for God's creation, shaping the direction of responsible programming and policy, especially with respect to public witness concerning emergent environmental issues such as global climate change, desertification and access to potable water, and wetlands/coastal erosion.
"[6. Affirm that all living creatures require potable water to live; that water, being essential to life, is a human right that must be accessible to all people.]"
7. Voted that the study paper, Living a Human Life Before God, be distributed electronically to ministers and congregations of the PC(USA) for the purpose of helping congregations explore and teach Christian ethics as they face today’s issues.
8. Voted to stand in solidarity with immigrant people in Arizona and call for just immigration reform, and to refrain from scheduling Presbyterian meetings in Arizona until their immigration law is improved.
9. Established an administrative commission empowered for the next to years to allow presbyteries and synods, the middle governing bodies of the church, to redraw their boundaries, when the affected middle governing bodies request it, and with a 2/3 majority vote of the administrative commission
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