wfn.org | Committee approves establishment of non-geographical presbyteries

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

Note #6589 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

11-June-2001
GA01033

Committee approves establishment of non-geographical presbyteries

by John Filiatreau

LOUISVILLE, June 11 - The Assembly Committee on Church Polity approved an
amendment on June 11 that would allow the establishment of new
non-geographical, racial-ethnic presbyteries.

The change in section G-12.0102k of the Book of Order was proposed on behalf
of Korean-American congregations, mostly for the sake of first-generation,
non-English-speaking immigrants. Some members expressed concern that the
amendment would put the commissioners "at risk of creating a kind of reverse
discrimination" and reduce racial-ethnic diversity by "separating out these
very valuable people," but others said the non-geographical presbyteries
would be "a temporary thing," and that members eventually would be
re-integrated with existing geographical presbyteries.

The committee voted against an overture (01-1) from the Presbytery of Scioto
Valley that would have given presbyteries the authority to require sessions
to transmit per-capita funds to the presbytery. Committee members argued
that payment of per-capita is voluntary on the part of sessions - "not a
tax, but an offering" - and that non-payment is a matter to be dealt with
"pastorally" rather than "legislatively."

The polity committee also approved an overture transferring the Roxbury
United Parish in Gypsum Creek Township in Kansas from the Presbytery of
Southern Kansas to the Presbytery of Northern Kansas, and an overture
transferring Divine Light Presbyterian Church in El Monte, Calif., from the
Presbytery of Hanmi to the Presbytery of San Gabriel.

A change in the Rules of Discipline of the Book of Order to provide for a
"resolution agreement" in disciplinary proceedings between the accused and
the investigating committee was also approved. Such an agreement is defined
as a "written agreement between the investigating committee and the accused
concerning the terms of settlement, the wording of the charges (if any are
to be filed as part of the agreement), and the means of enforcement,
including the body to supervise the settlement."

A disciplinary case is one in which a church member or officer may be
censured.
Such a settlement could be reached whether or not the committee had found
sufficient cause to file charges against the accused. Such a "plea bargain"
would make it unnecessary to proceed to a full trial.

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