wfn.org | New Hope Commissioner Hawkins looks forward to Assembly actions

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

Note #6679 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

14-June-2001
GA01121

New Hope Commissioner Hawkins looks forward to Assembly actions

by Nancy Rodman

LOUISVILLE, June 14 - "I like the mood of this Assembly.  Even with the
uncertainty of what's going to happen with the ordination standards, there's
a real desire to come together."  Those words sum up the Rev. Jimmie
Hawkins' impressions of the 213th General Assembly, or annual legislative
meeting, of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  In fact, Hawkins has been so
impressed, that he is sending daily e-mail updates to members of his
congregation.

	Hawkins came to this Assembly as a commissioner from New Hope Presbytery
after working with the Youth Advisory Delegates at two Assemblies.

	"It was a blessing," Hawkins said, to serve on the Evangelism and Church
Development Committee, since he chairs that committee in his presbytery. 
While he was disappointed that his committee did not receive many
resolutions, it was a very positive experience for him.

	Back home, Hawkins has been pastor of the 170-member Covenant Presbyterian
Church in Durham, N. C., for five years.  Covenant, he says, "is a typical
Presbyterian Church with traditional Presbyterian worship. But the
congregation has been hungry for a long time for community involvement and
they've really responded."  Hawkins described three of the congregation's
programs, each staffed by volunteers from the church.

	Three years ago, the congregation started an after-school tutoring program
that primarily reaches children who live in a nearby public housing
development.  Through the program, the congregation and children enter into
a long-term relationship.  "The children are starting to understand what
we're trying to do with them," Hawkins said.  "We're turning around negative
perceptions."

	In the summer, the congregation runs a four-week day camp at the church. 
During the first week, the young teenagers who staff the camp are trained. 
The camp reaches about 20 children from the neighborhood.

	"I am really proud of our computer lab," Hawkins said.  Covenant Church has
17 computers, all CD-ROMS, and the lab is open to the community.  There are
adult classes every Saturday in the basics of spreadsheets and web site
design.  "God has worked with our computer lab," Hawkins said.  "We started
the lab on faith and have been given most of our computers.  People call
every week with offers.  We're moving to newer and newer computers."

	As our conversation turned back to the Assembly, Hawkins said that his
experience has been much more positive than he expected.  There has been a
good pace to the work and he has appreciated the very intentional way that
worship has been incorporated into the Assembly.
"I like the way Jack Rogers handled himself during the election for
moderator.  I think the denomination needs to get on with what's really
important.  I have a lot of energy around the motion coming on Sudan,"
Hawkins said.

	"I'm looking forward to the debate on the ordination standards to see how
the church handles it.  Talk of division hurts.  If we're the body of
Christ, we have to work through these issues."

	"We're all different and we all bring something to the table." 

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