wfn.org | Media and visitor policy approved, changes for Presbyterian Women

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #5994 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

defeated
26-June-2000
GA00048

	Media and visitor policy approved, changes for Presbyterian Women defeated

	by Nancy D. Borst

LONG BEACH, June 26 -- A new "Media and Visitor Policy for Nonbusiness
Gatherings" for General Assembly-related groups will go to the floor of the
212th General Assembly for approval.

	The Committee on Mission Coordination and Budgets, after lengthy
discussion, voted 28-19 to send the policy to the floor with a
recommendation it be approved. The committee also voted to send to the floor
a revision to the General Assembly Council Manual of Operations, open
meeting policy, numbered 20.040. The revision adds a sentence indicating the
existence of the new media policy.

	The committee overwhelmingly declined to send on overture 00-45 that called
for moving Presbyterian Women from the National Ministries Division to the
Congregational Ministries Division. The vote was 45-1-1 to defeat the
overture.

	The media and visitors policy was developed by the Advisory Committee on
the News, a five-member elected committee and a liaison from the General
Assembly Council. The committee included members who work in communications
media.

	A separate overture about open meetings was defeated by a vote of 36-12.
Overture 00-22 sought to amend the denomination's open meeting policy.

	The struggle between the two approaches extended committee discussion.
Overture 00-22 sought to clarify that current policy apply consistently to
all Assembly entities "whenever and for whatever purpose they meet,"
retaining the exceptions specifically delineated in the policy.

	"At a time when the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is attempting to build a
level of trust that will allow it to find unity within diversity, it is
imperative that the General Assembly and its entities conduct their work and
ministry ‘within a spirit of openness and vulnerability to public scrutiny,'
" the overture's rationale stated.

	 As for the media and visitor policy, the committee was concerned with a
clause that states in some small group meetings whose purpose is "sharing of
personal issues of faith and life, the discussion may be closed to media
representatives and visitors at the choice of the small group participants."

	But it approved the policy without change to that clause.

	Discussion of an overture seeking to change placement of Presbyterian Women
(PW) in the national church structure was brief.

	A committee member moved to disapprove the overture before any discussion
began. The committee had heard from many people on the issue during its open
hearings earlier in the day. The overture's advocate told the committee the
authors of the overture wanted it withdrawn.

	A vote quickly followed and the overture was defeated.

	The committee began the day with open hearings on several overtures before
it, dealing with:

	* amending "Forming Social Policy" to clarify denominational policy; 

	* funding for the Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military
Personnel;

	* adding Biblical and confessional standards to the sexual misconduct
policy for PC(USA) employees.

The committee continued working through its business Monday evening.

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