wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Moderator's letter opposes special GA meeting

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Note #7517 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Moderator's letter opposes special GA meeting
02454
November 11, 2002

Moderator's letter opposes special GA meeting

Abu-Akel writes that a called meeting would be untimely, "out of place"

by John Filiatreau

MINNEAPOLIS - The Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, moderator of the 214th General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has sent a letter to GA
commissioners opposing a call for a special session of the Assembly to
address what some in the church have called a "constitutional crisis."

Abu-Akel says in his letter that such a session would divert "time, energy
and money" away from "mission in the name of Christ," and would be "out of
place, given the current global situation and the possibility that our
country may begin a war with Iraq."

He released the letter at the close of the national conference of the
Covenant Network of Presbyterians here.

The call for an unprecedented specially called meeting of the GA is supported
by Presbyterians who are offended by some ministers' and sessions' statements
that they cannot and will not comply with a provision of the PC(USA)
constitution that requires people being ordained to practice fidelity in
marriage or chastity in singleness. The statements of refusal to comply, and
what some see as the church's inability or unwillingness to force compliance,
are what have brought the calls for the special session. 

The Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the stated clerk of the PC(USA), has written a
letter to commissioners disputing the claim that the church is in a
"constitutional crisis." He says the cases alleging non-compliance with the
constitution are making their way through the denomination's judicial system,
slowly but surely, in keeping with the denomination's rules of discipline and
procedure.

Alex Metherell, a physician in Laguna Beach, CA, and an elder commissioner to
last summer's 214th General Assembly from Los Ranchos Presbytery, has
spearheaded the effort to call the Assembly back into session. He has been
circulating a petition among the commissioners. If he can get the signatures
of 50 out of a total of more than 550 - 25 elders and 25 ministers - he
apparently could force the scheduling of a special session. He reportedly has
about 45 signatures now.

Abu-Akel writes that one communication commissioners have received from
supporters of the petition "may give you the impression that I support a
called Assembly." However, he says: "I am not in favor of such a meeting. ...
In addition, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly has offered
to you wise counsel in stating reasons why a special meeting would not be
helpful to the life of the church."

In any event, Abu-Akel says, a special meeting could not be scheduled before
March or April - "right before the 215th General Assembly convenes in May" in
Denver. And he argues further that, "even if we had a special meeting, we
could not intervene in the judicial system."

The moderator said in an address to the Covenant Network that those who
advocate a called meeting "want the General Assembly to convene and be the
Supreme Court of the denomination," an impossibility. He said calling such a
meeting would not be "prudent."

The complete text of Abu-Akel's letter:

To Commissioners to the 214th General Assembly (2002)

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I bring you greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we
near the Thanksgiving holiday, I give thanks for the bounty of God's many
blessings. I am most grateful for the gift of the Prince of Peace, whose
coming we anticipate again in the season of Advent and Christmas.

I also bring you greetings from the many places across the denomination I
have visited on your behalf as Moderator. As I approach the midway point of
my year as Moderator, having visited churches large and small, presbyteries,
and synods, I can share and celebrate with you that our church is alive and
busy in mission! Even as I have encountered presbyteries that are dealing
with judicial issues and other pressing matters, I am grateful for the
commitment and care people show to one another and for the way in which our
Presbyterian system works.

Hanging over the celebration at present, however, is a cloud. As
commissioners, you have been contacted to ask for your signatures on a
petition calling for a special meeting of the General Assembly. One of the
letters you received may give you the impression that I support a called
Assembly. I am not in favor of such a meeting. I want to thank my brothers in
Christ, Laird Stuart and Jerry Tankersley (the other candidates for
moderator), for their joint letter that discouraged support of a called
meeting. In addition, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly has
offered to you wise counsel in stating reasons why a special meeting would
not be helpful to the life of the church.

I want to offer to you my reasons for not having a called meeting. I ask you
to prayerfully consider or reconsider the following: The reason for the
special meeting given in the petition requires an interpretation of the
Constitution. According to G-13.0112c of our Book of Order, this requires a
120-day notice prior to the meeting. This means that I would not be able to
call a special assembly until late March at the earliest - right before the
215th General Assembly convenes in May. 

Even if we had a special meeting, we could not intervene in the judicial
system, which is one of the reasons being given for calling the meeting.
Further, the time, energy, and money that we would spend on a special meeting
need to be spent in mission in the name of Christ. Spending our resources on
a called meeting seems to me to be out of place, given the current global
situation and the possibility that our country may begin a war with Iraq in a
very short time.

In Columbus, our theme was "Ambassadors for Christ." We made many decisions
that contributed to the peace, unity, and purity of the church. We are called
to continue as ambassadors even now - praying for our church and focusing on
unity and mission.

May God give you wisdom and strength in your work and witness in this great
church in the name of Jesus Christ.

Peace/Salaam,

The Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel
Moderator, 214th General Assembly (2002) 

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