wfn.org | Re: [Ga212reports] News from the 212th General Assembly for Tuesday, Ju

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

Note #19 from PCUSA NEWS to GA 212 REPORTS:

	This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from
the 212th General Assembly in Long Beach, California, for Friday, June 30.

	After progressing through its business Thursday at a fairly rapid pace, the
Assembly was faced Friday with a lighter volume of business than in previous
years.  But the business before this Assembly today was heavy in content.

	Thursday evening the Assembly approved by a vote of 447-29 a recommendation
from its Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry that a proposal to
offer church educators a chance to be ordained as ministers with a
specialization in Christian education was referred back to the General
Assembly Council for further clarification and additional information.  A
competing proposal – an overture from Chicago Presbytery that would create a
fourth ordained office, that of Christian educator – was easily defeated. 
The Assembly sent one constitutional amendment to the presbyteries that, if
ratified, will establish minimum salary and benefits for church educators. 
On a voice vote the Assembly also approved a recommendation from the Church
Orders and Ministry Committee to direct a number of church agencies to look
at emerging issues related to clergywomen serving in parish ministry.  Among
those issues are the decreasing number of women entering parish ministry,
the proportionately lower number of women pastors serving congregations, and
the increasing number of women leaving parish ministry.

	On the eve of a crucial debate on whether to ban same sex unions in the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Assembly approved a recommendation from
its Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures to prohibit
demonstrations by individuals or groups inside the building where the
General Assembly meets.  The measure gives the moderator the option of
recessing the Assembly should a demonstration take place in defiance of the
prohibition.  In other actions brought from its Procedures Committee, the
Assembly rejected by a vote of 416-81 an overture from the Presbytery of the
Peaks that would have called for the General Assembly Nominating Committee
to be elected by the General Assembly rather than appointed by the General
Assembly moderator.  The Assembly did open up the nominating process by
adopting an overture from Greater Atlanta Presbytery that allows any General
Assembly Nominating Committee member to nominate any person for service on
an Assembly-level committee.  Until now, only the Nominating Committee
member from a candidate's synod could nominate that person for service.

	Friday morning, after speeches, questions and answers, the Assembly
overwhelmingly elected incumbent stated clerk the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick
to a second four-year term as the top ecclesiastical officer of the General
Assembly.  Kirkpatrick was challenged from the floor by the Rev. Winfield
"Casey" Jones, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Pearland, Texas. 
Kirkpatrick was unanimously recommended the Assembly Committee on Stated
Clerk Candidate Review.  The final vote was 427 (or 85 percent) for
Kirkpatrick to 74 (or 15 percent) for Jones.

	In a somewhat surprising move, the Assembly voted 384-127 to send a "Book
of Order" amendment to the presbyteries stating "No persons shall be denied
membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for any reason not related to
profession of faith."  Current constitutional language states that persons
may not be denied membership because of their race, ethnic origin or worldly
condition.  A proposed overture from Twin Cities Area Presbytery would have
added "sexual orientation" to that list.  The Assembly chose to ask that the
entire list be removed from the "Book of Order."

	And by a vote of 446-66, the Assembly approved a new Media and Visitors
Policy for Non-business Gatherings that gives small groups at conferences
and retreats whose sole purpose is the sharing of personal stories of faith
and life the option to meet privately.  The policy does not apply to any
meeting at which business is conducted.  The Assembly also affirmed the
church's Open Meeting Policy which allows business meetings to be closed
only for discussion of litigation, personnel, property negotiation and
security reasons.

	This is Jerry Van Marter.  Thank you for calling VoiceLine.  For more news
from the 212th General Assembly, call VoiceLine Friday, June 30 after 11:30
p.m., Pacific Daylight Time.  By that time the Assembly should have made its
decision on same sex union ceremonies, which is scheduled for the Friday
evening plenary session.  Pray for peace.  Good bye.

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