Shown on the big screen, the Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, 39, an energetic new church development pastor in San Francisco and leader in the “emergent church” movement, was elected moderator of the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Editor's note: Unless stated otherwise, all references to "General Assembly" or "Assembly" in this issue refer to the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) held in San Jose, Calif., June 21-June 30, 2008. Click the subheadings to open new window which will display the entire story on pcusa.org/ga218.
Proposed replacement of G-6.0106b
The General Assembly voted 380-325 to send a proposed amendment to the denomination's 173 presbyteries that would delete the current paragraph G-6.0106b in the Book of Order - which requires church officers to live in "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness"-and replace it with a new G-6.0106b. The proposal ties ordination decisions more closely to assent to the ordination vows currently in the church's Book of Order without singling out a sexual conduct standard.
Two church growth strategies, new sexuality resources approved
In two separate but related initiatives designed to address the persistent decline in PC(USA) membership as well as the church's commitment to grow in diversity, the Assembly wholeheartedly approved a Strategy for Church Growth for African American Congregations and a resolution to help Christ's Church Grow Deep and Wide during the report of the Assembly Committee on Church Growth and Christian Education.
In other major business, the Assembly also concurred with the committee's recommendation to approve, with comment, an overture from Grace Presbytery to direct the General Assembly Council (GAC) to produce adolescent sexuality resources. After the failure of several amendments, the original motion passed by a vote of 509-188-5 (for-against-abstain).
Assembly approves new social creed, the first in a century
By a 5-to-1 margin, the Assembly approved "A Social Creed for the 21st Century," exactly 100 years after the "Social Creed" of 1908 spoke to the harshness of industrial life at the turn of the last century.
Peacemaking in Israel/Palestine
Commissioners "stayed the course" of being peacemakers around the world. The Assembly called for "responsibly" bringing the troops home from Iraq, continuing peacemaking in Israel and Palestine and supporting human rights in Zimbabwe, the Philippines, North Korea and Columbia.
The Church Polity Committee report included a lively discussion on the definition of marriage, civil rights for same-sex couples and a gracious response to congregations wishing to leave the denomination.
Heidelberg Catechism to be revised
The most emotionally charged overture from the Theological Issues and Institutions Committee came from Newark Presbytery asking the Assembly "to correct translation problems in five responses of the Heidelberg Catechism as found in The Book of Confessions and to add the original Scripture texts of the German Heidelberg Catechism."
Congregations and presbyteries are expected be more involved in the process of revising the Form of Government section of the denomination's Book of Order. The Assembly passed without any changes a recommendation coming from the Assembly committee tasked with examining a proposed revision to the Form of Government. The recommendation asked that the proposed revision, crafted by the Form of Government Task Force (FOGTF), be referred to the Office of the General Assembly "for a period of consultation and study with churches and presbyteries."
As the hour approached 11 p.m. following a full day's business on June 26, the Assembly approved two recommendations that call for the revision of the Book of Order descriptions of the Open Book Bible Exegesis and Theological Competence ordination exams, the order in which the exams are listed, and other wording in G-14.0431.
Included in the approved recommendation is a proposed change in the timing of the four main ordination exams. The proposal would require that the four exams "shall ordinarily" be taken "only" after two years of seminary and after the committee on preparation for ministry has attested that the candidate has "completed adequate academic preparation."
Although wrought with uncertainty of purpose and process during its committee meetings, the Assembly Committee for Worship and Spiritual Renewal received approval during the plenary session of the General Assembly on both overtures recommended by the committee.
Items 16-01, On Reaffirming Our Common Faith in Jesus Christ, and 16-02, A Call to Seek God for Spiritual Renewal of the Church, passed with an undisputed voice vote.
Item 16-01 made the request that affirmation of "our common faith in Jesus Christ" be considered prior to Assembly votes. Item 16-02 addressed the need for congregations to gather together at times for spiritual renewal through intentional gatherings such as spiritual Assemblies.
The Assembly rejected by a five-to-one margin a recommendation from its Mission Coordination and Budgets Committee that the PC(USA) institute a fifth churchwide special offering to support mission personnel.
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