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Note #6611 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

11-June-2001
GA01050

YAD Votes

by Frank Buhrman

LOUISVILLE, June 11 - Youth Advisory Delegates (YADS) and some of their
advisory sisters and brothers Monday won committee backing for a study of
the possibility that they might vote in Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General
Assembly plenary sessions. The Assembly Procedures Committee also called on
presbyteries to provide the YADS with better orientation.

	The actions took place during the opening day of Procedures Committee
deliberations, and the YADS themselves took an active part in moving both
overtures toward approval.

	The "voice and vote" study was overtured by the Presbytery of Genesee
Valley. It called for a study to be conducted before next year's Assembly of
granting the additional responsibility to youth, theological, missionary and
ecumenical delegates.

	That latter inclusion drew opposition from Stephen Kendall, who as an
Ecumenical Advisory Delegate from the Presbyterian Church of Canada, spoke
against possibly granting a non-PCUSA member voting privileges. An amendment
deleted that small group.

	The overture also was amended to allow the study to consider whether "voice
and vote" should or should not be granted to the advisory delegates. With
those changes, the overture was recommended for approval 46-6, despite the
warning of an opponent that other, more significant changes would be
required to enable YADS and other advisories to vote if there are not
ordained clergy or elders.

	Overture 01-30, also from Genesee Valley, called for the General Assembly
to "develop and distribute to presbyteries and synods guidelines concerning
the orientation of Youth Advisory Delegates."

	It was met with some expressions of concern that the Assembly would be hard
pressed to issue guidelines on anything handled in as many different ways as
YAD orientation. But the YADs themselves spoke of the need. Shana Weitner
(YAD, Presbytery of Newark) proposed an amendment adding guidelines for
selection as well, and peers quickly backed her up.

	Their strong advocacy had at least some effect on the committee, and the
overture was recommended for Assembly approval by a unanimous vote.

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