wfn.org | CMD affirms relationship with Scouters group, criticizes

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

Note #6552 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Presbyterian Layman
6-June-2001
01196

CMD affirms relationship with Scouters group, criticizes Presbyterian Layman

Conservative journal accused of 'perpetrating misconceptions'

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Congregational Ministries Division Committee (CMDC),
reacting to what it angrily called "misconceptions perpetrated by The
Presbyterian Layman," has adopted a statement affirming its covenant with
the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters.

	Meeting here June 6, the CMDC criticized the Layman, a conservative
periodical frequently critical of General Assembly actions and staff, for an
online article which said the church was "dissociating" itself from the Boy
Scouts after CMD declined a request for a special grant from the National
Association of Presbyterian Scouters (NAPS).

	Questions were raised about the CMD- NAPS covenant at the division meeting
last November while the U.S. Supreme Court was considering whether the Boy
Scouts of America could ban homosexuals from leadership positions in the
Scouts. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) policy opposes discrimination based on
sexual orientation.

	The court subsequently sided with the Boy Scouts.

	The CMD-NAPS covenant, which is reviewed annually and renewed biennally,
was last affirmed in November.

	When NAPS sought what CMD Christian Education and Leader Development
Subcommittee chair Mike Gillespie called an "above budget" grant, youth and
young adult coordinator Gina Yeager turned down the request and in her
notification letter to NAPS expressed CMD's concerns about the Boy Scouts'
arguments in the Supreme Court Case. She said CMD would seek clarification
from NAPS about that organization's commitment to the church's
non-discrimination policy in light of the Boy Scouts policy of excluding gay
men from its leadership and the possibility that policy could be extended to
membership in the Boy Scouts.

	After obtaining a copy of the letter, The Presbyterian Layman wrote that
CMD was "beginning to dissociate" the church from the Boy Scouts.

	"We are not in an adversarial relationship with the National Association of
Presbyterian Scouters," Gillespie said. "We have not begun dissociating from
NAPS. We renewed our covenant with them last November and we will continue
to be in partnership with them."

	The statement affirming the November covenant agreement between CMD and
NAPS was approved with only four committee members voting "no." At least two
of those announced they were voting "no" because, in the words of committee
member Jim Kirk: "We wouldn't even have this on the table if it wasn't for
the press."

	The full text of the CMD statement:

	"The Congregational Ministries Division affirmed our covenant agreement
with the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters (NAPS) at the
November 2000 meeting. This covenant also involves annual reports and
biannual reviews. We continue dialogue with NAPS (as with all our covenant
groups) to strengthen that partnership."

_______________________________________________
pcusaNews mailing list
pcusaNews@pcusa.org

To unsubscribe, go to this web address:
http://pcusa01.pcusa.org/mailman/listinfo/pcusanews