wfn.org | Bills and Overtures Committee declines Commissioners' Res 96-23

[PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org]

03-July-1996 
 
GA96051 
 
    Bills and Overtures Committee declines 
     Commissioners' Resolution 96-23 
 
ALBUQUERQUE--By a vote of 18-10 July 2, the committee on Bills and 
Overtures declined to defer commissioner's resolution 96-23 to a committee 
at this year's General Assembly. The resolution regards the Presbyterian 
Church (U.S.A.) Foundation and the Presbyterian Church in Puerto Rico. 
 
    The two bodies are litigants in a pending civil suit regarding a 
"personnel and legal matter," according to Jim Andrews, stated clerk of the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Larry Carr, president and CEO of the 
Presbyterian Foundation, told the Presbyterian News Service that it would 
not be appropriate for him to publicly comment on the matter at this time 
due to pending litigation. 
 
    "A General Assembly in session is not the most effective process to 
deal with a problem between two bodies of the church,"Andrews said when 
asked why he decided to have the resolution declined in the first place. 
"And this is now a legal issue." 
 
    The committee spent more than one hour in executive session before 
voting. The Rev. Jim Collie, committee assistance, read a statement from 
the group's report shortly after re-convening. 
 
    "We move that the Bills and Overtures committee concur with the 
recommendation of  the stated clerk to decline to refer [commissioners' 
resolution] 96-23 to a committee of the 208th General Assembly (1996) 
because it is our opinion that this matter would better be addressed 
through the church's Rules of Discipline," Collie read. 
 
    "The Bills and Overtures committee asks that the General Assembly be in 
prayer for the Presbyterian Church in Puerto Rico and the Presbyterian 
Foundation that these matters be amicably resolved in the spirit of 
Christ," Collie read. 
 
    According to a committee member who met with representatives of the 
Puerto Rican church,  the delegates "were disappointed but understandably 
so," over the committee's decision, and will likely use the denomination's 
Rules of Discipline to file a remedial complaint. 
 
    The Bills and Overtures committee also approved the tentative docket 
for the General Assembly as it conducts its business through July 6. 
 
Julian Shipp 

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