wfn.org | [Ga212reports] Commentary for Tuesday, June 27

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #9 from PCUSA NEWS to GA 212 REPORTS:

This is David Steele commenting Tuesday morning at the 212th General
Assembly..

Monday is the first of two Assembly days devoted to committee meetings.  The
commissioners are in their committee meetings most of the day and oft well
into the night.  Observers sit in on the committees in which there is
special interest or action.  On controversial issues the action in the
committees is can be hot and heavy–as folk pro and con passionately attempt
to persuade the committee members their cause is the answer.

I'm not very adept at finding committees at the height of action.  Time
after time I arrive at the committee just after the hot subject has been
tabled or postponed and they are doing mundane picky things that I could
hear in any session meeting.  Us right brained types value the Presbyterian
system.  I for one need the structure and the decency and order the church
provides.  But I simply can't get excited by a substitute motion.  So I go
on to other things.

The action for non commissioners on days like this is in the Exhibition
hall.  I tried to count the number of booths in this enormous room.  I came
up with 80 but it was hard to determine because there are booths and sub
booths and sub-sub booths.  Every office and agency of the church has a
booth.  A person can learn about curriculum or get instruction on how
Presbynet works or find out about your Pension or buy a book, a robe, a gift
made by oversea mission folk.

I am a member of the Presbyterian Writers Guild board and we have a small
booth.  Folk interested in writing come by, authors sit in from time to
time.  It is a low key meeting place for people with a common interest. 
There are many booths built around a common interest or vocation like that.

And there are the advocacy groups.  This year I found their location of
interest.  In one area a long pipe is hung with canvass and on each side a
number of booths are created.  As I stand looking up the pipe I notice on
the right side are booths of the Coalition of Presbyterians, Presbyterians
for Renewal, and the Lay Committee.  As the folk sit in their booths they
face to the right and see the world from that position.  On the other side
are the booths of the Covenant network, More Light Churches, Sermper
Reformanda.  They face to the left and obviously are noticing things that
can be seen from that viewpoint.

The canvass down the center separates the right from the left.  Folk in the
booths sit with their backs to each other and while the people on one side
are within 4 or 5 feet of the folks in the booth behind them–neither side is
aware of the closeness of the other.  Thus we have the parable of the
Exhibition Hall speaking of and to the church these days.   Here we are
together in the great room called Presbyterian, sitting practically next to
each other yet looking in opposite directions and seeing very different
things.

I am reminded of the old joke about St. Peter showing the newcomer around
heaven.  There is a small walled off area.  Peter whispers "Please be quiet
when you are near here.  This is where the (put in your own exclusive
religious group) live.  They think they are the only ones up here."

Another thing happens in the exhibition hall that has nothing to do with the
booths.  People head for the hall when they have some free time and they
wander up and down the aisles just looking around for someone they know. 
It's like the old time Easter parade or in Latin countries I think people
used to go to the plaza and walk around in the evening , courting, greeting
friends.  What was that called, Paseo?  My younger colleagues say the word
for it today is cruising or trolling.  We wander around the Exhibition Hall 
to see and be seen.  And eventually we run into someone we know or want to
know.  The Hall performs an important function.

So much for the parable of the Exhibition Hall.  This is David
Steele...thanks for listening...shalom friend.

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