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15-June-1998 
GA98029 
 
 
    Genevans Talk About Something New-Reaching Out to Our 
     Sister Denominations 
 
    by Bill Lancaster 
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--The Genevans changed the subject and hosted an ecumenical 
panel to begin bridging the gap between the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
and sister denominations in America. 
    The Genevans invited Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick, a long-time 
supporter of worldwide Christian unity, and representatives from the 
Reformed Church in America, the Korean Presbyterian Church in America and 
the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.  The four made brief presentations 
about fostering better relationships between the denominations to a large 
lunch crowd Monday at the Hilton Hotel here during the Assembly. 
    "In relation to the subjects that have dominated us for so long, 
everyone is saying let's start talking about something new.  This is not a 
call to talk about something new; it's the conversation itself," said the 
Rev. Jerry Andrews, president of the Genevans and a pastor at the 
1100-member First Presbyterian Church in Glen Ellyn, Ill. 
    "That's an important step for our church.  I hope that other groups 
across the General Assembly are doing that, too," he said. 
    "Ecumenical steps are not new to us," he said, "but taking a step in 
the direction of our own Presbyterian and Reformed brothers and sisters in 
America is not a step that has been taken well.  It's not a long jump. 
It's a close step.  These folks are very near to us.  But we are of the 
opinion that they have been overlooked in part because they are so near, in 
part because the wounds are so fresh in some of the divisions between us, 
and in part, we believe, because they are to the right of us.  When we've 
been thinking ecumenical in the denomination, we've been thinking left, and 
we need to think both directions.  So, we're very happy about this and want 
to be a part of it." 
    Kirkpatrick told the gathering this had been a year of ecumenical 
breakthroughs.  He cited Lutheran/Reformed full communion agreement just 
adopted that overcomes a 450-year division and "also brings us much closer 
to our friends in the United Church of Christ and the Reformed Church in 
America.  He said the second effort is the joint committee with the Korean 
Presbyterian Church in America.  He said they were exploring union 
presbyteries and the possibility of including them in the Presbyterian 
pension plan. 
    The third initiative Kirkpatrick cited is one for having concurrent 
general assemblies with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the 
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. 
    The three ecumenical representatives on the Genevans' panel were Daniel 
Metier of the Reformed Church in America, a pastor from Hoboken, N.J., and 
a part of the Lutheran/Reformed dialogue group;  John Wu, stated clerk and 
general secretary of the Korean Presbyterian Church in America, and Ed 
Davis, stated clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. 

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