wfn.org | Three Minutes With Marj

[PCUSA_NEWS@ecunet.org]

Date: 27-Jun-96 
 
96246                Three Minutes With Marj: 
             an Interview with the Outgoing Moderator 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--You need roller skates to keep up with Moderator Marj 
Carpenter's frantic meeting schedule. But like any journalist with 
newspaper ink for blood, Carpenter extended the Presbyterian News Service 
an impromptu courtesy recently by consenting to a three-minute interview 
from an airport pay phone. 
 
     With the deft aplomb that's made her name a household word in 
Presbyterian circles worldwide, the Big Spring, Texas, native responded to 
a handful of questions ranging from what she thinks is the most important 
issue currently facing the denomination to her take on the rash of black 
church fires occurring throughout the nation. 
 
PNS:  What would you say is the most significant matter before this 
Assembly? 
 
Carpenter:  I think everybody thinks it's the homosexual issue, and I 
suppose that it is. How we decide that is going to affect the future of our 
church. I also think the lay preacher issue is a very important issue that 
will affect us for a very long, long time. And I also think that the COCU 
[Consultation on Church Union] decision will be significant. 
 
PNS:  As moderator, what were some of your goals and strengths? 
 
Carpenter:  Well, my strength was preaching mission in a year when we could 
have just let ourselves talk about everything else and I really did get the 
church to talking about mission all over the church. That's why I accepted 
so many different places to go, and I found excellent response everywhere I 
went except one. Hundreds of churches are really enthused about wanting to 
do mission again and they want to find out about how to do it better. And I 
think that was definitely my strength. 
 
PNS:  As far as your goals were concerned, do you think you accomplished 
what you set out to do?  
 
Carpenter:  Yes, I do. Mission was my main goal. And also to try to help in 
some way in Guatemala. I can't go to a significant [Guatemala] meeting this 
week because it's too near the Assembly, but [former General Assembly 
moderator] Herb Valentine is going to go for me.  [Valentine's] presbytery 
has a partnership with Guatemala and he's very familiar with those issues 
and he'll do us a great job. 
 
PNS:  What would you say is the most urgent need of the PC(USA)? 
 
Carpenter: The most urgent need of the PC(USA) is to get the trust back 
between the pew and the other levels of the church. We need to realize we 
are a connectional church and we need to work together to take the church 
of Jesus Christ into our own nation and the world. 
 
PNS:  What's your reaction to the burning of black churches throughout the 
nation?  
   
Carpenter:  Well, it just makes me sick. My grandmother taught me the fear 
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I would be terrified to burn a 
church. I can't imagine anybody having the gall to do that. I just get 
furious every time I think about it. I don't think [the burnings] are being 
done by one group. I do think that it's racist because there's too many of 
the churches that are black. I do think it's a lot of different racists -- 
some of them just because they think it'd be a fun thing to do and some of 
them because they're full of hatred. My [Assembly] worship service offering 
was set for the two Latin American schools, Menaul and Pan American. I 
won't take that away from them because they need it too bad. But I'm giving 
them each a third and a third for the black churches at the opening 
worship.   
 
PNS:  Do you think this Assembly will mark a historic moment in the life of 
the church? 
 
Carpenter:  Most of our Assemblies do, but this one, I think, yes, it will. 
Because there's some decisions to be made at this one that will affect our 
very basic beliefs. 
 
PNS:  I know that your motto during your term as moderator has been "Proud 
to Be Presbyterian." Do you still feel that way? 
 
Carpenter:  Yes, I do. I'm very proud to be Presbyterian. Sinfully proud. 

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