This picture on the left is of the new Moderator of the General Assembly of the PCUSA (Bruce Reyes-Chow). I wrote about this process in Sunday's blog entry. Bruce will serve a 2 year term in this role and will be the most visible and quotable public individual representing the Presbyterian Church. (This picture was also "taken without pay" from Bob Davis' excellent blog (see disclaimer and blog address from Saturday's posting)
Today was spent working in our various committees. I was assigned to the "Worship and Spiritual Renewal" committee. (The official website for General Assembly info is: "http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/") Apparently, the Office of the General Assembly decided that the particular committee I have been assigned to, along with one other committee (youth), would be experimental in how they processed items of business assigned to them. We have been asked to work by using a discerning process (focusing on the process rather than the outcome ... looking for big themes rather then debating details, emphasizing: talking, reflecting, silence, prayer ...) rather than using the typical parliamentary procedures (presenting motions, debating and voting). I am finding merit with the discernment process but it would be difficult if a committee had a lot of business, or highly contentious business, to work through. Thankfully we have only two specific matters to make decisions on:
1) an overture asking that before each vote on the floor of the assembly the moderator would state, "As sisters and brothers in Christ, sharing our common faith in, and allegiance to, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, let us proceed to vote on the question before us."
and
2) An overture calling on each congregation and presbytery of the PC (USA) (Presbyterian Church United States of America) to gather in Solemn Assembly within the next two years, to seek God for spiritual renewal of the church of Jesus Christ, following the command of God through the prophet Joel (Joel 2.12-17)
"Yet even now," says the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and repents (this term is used in the manner of describing a change in what God would normally do in response to the sin of the people) of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, 'Spare Thy people, O Lord, and make not Thy heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?"'"
For item number one we discussed and discerned and talked and prayed and thought throughout the day before we were able to reach an agreement on passing a modified version of the above #1. I thought it would be simple and quick but the length of the process highlights the challenges facing such committee work and what lies ahead as it is brought up for a vote of all the commissioners. The main challenge from people within our committee was twofold: first, it seemed redundant ... our affirmation of faith is already being done regularly and we do not need to do this again in a formal prescribed manner, second, not many like the word "allegiance" because it sounded out of date and imposed. The process brought us to a reasonable place (there are excellent and intelligent people on the committee and at my particular table) where we could affirm that Jesus is our Lord and Savior as we enter into times of potential contention.
Tomorrow we will take up #2 of "Solemn Assemblies."
Blessings in Christ Jesus, our common Lord and Savior,
Curt
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