wfn.org | Commissioned lay pastor proposal coming to Assembly

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

03-July-1996 
 
GA96077 
    Commissioned lay pastor proposal coming to Assembly 
 
ALBUQUERQUE  - A proposal to extend the role of commissioned lay pastors -- 
but requiring them to be ordained Presbyterian elders -- tops the report of 
the Assembly committee on Church Orders and Ministry which is scheduled for 
presentation to the 208th General Assembly Thursday afternoon. 
 
    At the end of business Tuesday afternoon the proposal was reconsidered 
by the committee.  Concern was expressed that the elder requirement would 
place a hardship on developing fellowship communities which cannot ordain 
elders.  After considering several amendments to the proposal, no change 
was made by the committee. 
 
    The proposal would allow presbyteries to empower commissioned lay 
pastors to perform weddings (where allowed by states) to baptize, to 
moderate sessions, and to have voice and vote at presbytery.  The 
presbyteries will be responsible for training and monitoring the 
commissioned lay pastors. 
 
    Other business coming from the Church Orders and Ministry committee 
includes: 
 
    Overture 96-80 from the Presbytery of Trinity which would amend the 
Book of Order to have the presbytery placing a call to a candidate for 
ministry be the presbytery to "ordinarily" examine and ordain the 
candidate. The overture was amended and approved by a 29-17-1 vote. 
 
    Overture 96-24 from Baltimore Presbytery was amended and approved by 
the committee.  It calls for a change in the Book of Order so that 
presbyteries may waive the examination requirements of an inquirer or 
candidate who has failed twice to receive a satisfactory grade.  Such a 
waiver would require a three-fourths vote by presbytery.  The original 
overture sought to omit synod review of such waivers.  The committee 
amended the overture to include a requirement that presbyteries submit to 
synod and have approved an overall process for examining such candidates. 
Individual cases could then be handled by the presbyteries without seeking 
approval for each one from the synod. 
 
    Overture 96-39 from the Presbytery of Sierra Blanca which (as amended) 
calls for a study of the situation and needs of single clergy.  The report 
would be made to the 209th (1997) General Assembly. 
 
    The committee's moderator is the Rev. E. Leon Thompson from Alaska 
Presbytery. 
 
John Sniffen 

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