wfn.org | Assembly refers of proposal on

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Note #6078 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

	ordination of church educators
GA00132
June 29, 2000

Assembly refers of proposal on
	ordination of church educators

	by Emily Enders Odom

LONG BEACH, June 29 - A proposal giving church educators a chance to be
ordained as ministers with a specialization in Christian education was
referred by the 212th General Assembly, with one minor amendment and
comment, to the General Assembly Council.  The comment prepared by the
Committee on Church Orders & Ministry, reads: "The 212th General Assembly
(2000) wishes to affirm the effort of the Work Group on the Role and Status
of Christian Educators.  However the course of the discussion showed many
areas which caused a desire for clarification and additional information."

	In presenting the motion to refer, the Rev. Heidi Peterson, moderator of
the Committee on Church Orders & Ministry, noted that the committee had
struggled for hours with the issues contained in the proposal.  In further
interpreting the committee's recommendation, Peterson explained that the
committee was unable to arrive at a yes or no, but that they "were not ready
to let this issue die to further exploration."

	A related motion, offered by Linda Alderman Gray, commissioner from
Mackinac Presbytery and a church educator, was also approved by the Assembly
by a vote of 418 - 106.  Gray's proposed amendment to "The Book of Order,"
seeking constitutional validation and protection for church educators in the
area of compensation and benefits, will be sent to the presbyteries for
ratification.

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