wfn.org | COGA Proposes 16 Committees

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

4-February-1998 
98042 
 
    COGA Proposes 16 Committees to Handle 
    the Work of the 210th General Assembly (1998) 
 
    by Alexa Smith 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) 
is recommending the formation of 16 Assembly Committees to handle the work 
of the 210th General Assembly this June. 
 
    The committee structure must be approved by the General Assembly when 
it convenes June 13 in Charlotte, N.C.  The proposed committees are 
 
1.  Bills and Overtures 
2.  General Assembly Procedures, including narrative reports of COGA, the 
Office of the General Assembly, the moderator and the Presbyteries' 
Cooperative Committee on Examinations for Candidates as well as the per 
capita budget 
3.  Church Polity, including final reports of the Special Committee on a 
Professional Code of Ethics and the Special Committee on Accountability 
Between Groups and the PC(USA).  The Advisory Committee on the Constitution 
reports here. 
4.  The PC(USA) in the 21st Century, where no business is to be referred, 
but is created to discuss and exchange ideas about challenges the church is 
facing as the 21st century approaches 
5.  Catechisms and Confessions, including a report of the Special Committee 
to Write a New Presbyterian Catechism and the debate on inclusion of the 
ecumenical Nicene Creed in "The Book of Confessions" 
6.  Catholicity and Ecumenical Relations, which is slated for reports on 
conversations with other Presbyterian denominations, the report from the 
Special Committee for Consultation on Church Union and the report of the 
Special Committee on Cooperation Between the U.S. Korean Presbyterian 
Church and the PC(USA).   Reports from the World Council of Churches and 
the World Alliance of Reformed Churches will be heard here. 
7.  Mission Coordination and Budgets, including confirmation of the 
candidate for executive director and of a new term for the National 
Ministries Division director as well as Budget 2000 and other prioritizing 
programs.  The General Assembly Council reports here. 
8.  Christian Education and Curriculum Publishing, which includes 
African-American Christian Education.  The Congregational Ministries 
Division report is made here. 
9.  Theological Issues and Institutions, where a report will be delivered 
on the church's study of "In Life and Death We Belong to God: Euthanasia, 
Assisted Suicide and End of Life Issues," a paper approved by the 207th 
General Assembly (1995) 
10.  Church Orders and Ministry, where issues related to the passage or 
defeat of Amendment A will be referred 
11.  Evangelism, where the focus will be upon a report on the church's 
strategy for racial/ethnic church growth 
12.  National Issues, which includes U.S. welfare and poverty and the 
annual report on "God's Work in Our Hands," a report adopted by the 207th 
General Assembly (1995) on Christian vocation and work issues.  The report 
of the National Ministries Division will be on the agenda here. 
13.  Health and Educational Issues, which is scheduled to hear business on 
the final report of the Special Committee to Review PHEWA (Presbyterian 
Health, Education and Welfare Association) Membership, a report on PC(USA) 
involvement in higher education and upcoming "Year with Education" matters. 
A report will be heard from the Advisory Committee on Social Witness 
Policy. 
14.  Peacemaking, International Service and Concerns, which includes the 
United Nations' 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights, the 
denomination's human rights update and the work of the Presbyterian 
Washington Office.  The narrative report of the Worldwide Ministries 
Division will be here as well. 
15.  Pensions, Benefits and Presbyterian Publishing, which has scheduled 
business from the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and 
the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation 
16.  Stewardship and Funding, which is to hear a report from the 
denomination's Comprehensive Strategy for Mission Funding Work Group, The 
Bicentennial Fund and special offerings as well as a report from the 
Presbyterian Foundation. 

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