wfn.org | Amendments Giving Commissioned Lay Pastors Additional Functions

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

19-February-1997 
97086 
 
 
            Amendments Giving Commissioned Lay Pastors 
       Additional Functions of Ministry Are Passing Easily 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--Proposed amendments giving commissioned lay pastors the 
authority to carry out additional functions of ministry are passing easily 
in voting by presbyteries -- including the amendment (I.6) that would allow 
them to perform weddings, which was the only one even marginally close 
initially. 
 
     With 46 presbyteries having filed their formal actions with the Office 
of the General Assembly (OGA) as of Feb. 12, the official tally on 
Amendment I.6 regarding performing a service of Christian marriage is 36 
presbyteries voting in favor and 10 voting against. 
 
     Amendments allowing commissioned lay pastors to administer the 
sacraments of the Lord's Supper and baptism, to moderate sessions, and to 
have voice and vote in meetings of presbytery continue to pass by wide 
margins. 
 
     A majority of the church's 171 presbyteries -- 86 -- must vote 
affirmatively on the amendments in order for them to become part of the 
"Book of Order." 
 
     To ensure complete accuracy, the Presbyterian News Service will only 
report those presbytery votes that have formally been filed with the OGA. 
 
     The official tally on Amendment I.6: 
 
     Affirmative (36): Baltimore, Boise, Central Florida, Cherokee, 
Chicago, Des Moines, Eastern Oregon, Eastern Virginia, Eastminster, Inland 
Northwest, Los Ranchos, Louisville, Midwest Hanmi, Milwaukee, Minnesota 
Valleys, Muskingum Valley, New York City, Northern Kansas, Northwest, Ohio 
Valley, Palo Duro, Peaks, Redwoods, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Fe, 
Shenango, Shenandoah, Sierra Blanca, Twin Cities Area, Utica, Western 
Kentucky, Western North Carolina, Whitewater Valley, Wyoming and Yukon.  
 
     Negative (10): Charleston-Atlantic, Flint River, Geneva, Heartland, 
Holston, Memphis, Mississippi, Salem, San Francisco and Southwest. 

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