ACC offers approval to revised Form of Government
Overture advocates say revision is insufficient to jettison current FOG
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July 5, 2010 12:11 a.m.
by Duane Sweep
Synod of Lakes and Prairies
Stewart Pollock of the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC) told the Form of Government Revision Committee on Sunday that the proposed revision to the Form of Government "would be a healthy thing and lead to new opportunities for the church."
Pollock said, "We believe the Form of Government Task Force accomplished the task given to them in their charge by the 218th General Assembly (2008)."
The ACC's written advice to the committee states that the proposed document "envisions a polity that is more missional in nature" and "offers a document that is less regulatory in nature than the existing Form of Government."
While the ACC offers changes it labels as "editorial corrections," Pollock said the ACC sees the document as "serviceable." He said, "This is a document the church could use and live under."
A group of overture advocates questioned the need for and the language within the proposed revision.
Overture advocate Jim Tony told the committee, "Your only responsibility is to determine if the new Form of Government is better. Will it serve us more effectively?"
Joan Johnson of the Presbytery of Santa Barbara called the proposed revision "not so much missional as o-missional." She said the current Form of Government "hasn't stopped us from ministry, but it has stopped stupidity."