wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Families report to be focus of public hearing

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Note #7921 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Families report to be focus of public hearing
03375
September 5, 2003

Families report to be focus of public hearing

ACSWP will examine controversial paper through theological lens

By John Filiatreau

LOUISVILLE - An open hearing on the "changing families" report that prompted
spirited debate during the recent 215th General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church (USA) has been scheduled for 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 24.

The public meeting will take place during the Sept. 23-24 meeting of a
special panel of the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) at
Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

The controversial paper, Living Faithfully with Families in Transition, will
be the focus of ACSWP's Changing Families Panel, which produced it.

Noting that the families paper "drew a lot of attention" during the Assembly
in Denver, ACSWP Coordinator Peter Sulyok said the committee "wants to invite
concerned people to share their thoughts on ministering faithfully with
families in church and society. ... We want to hear from as many people as
possible."

ACSWP's 45-page report was referred to the Assembly's National Issues
Committee, which approved a two-page substitute drafted by committee members
with the assistance of the Institute on Religion and Democracy, a
Presbyterian "think tank." Some committee members then drafted a minority
report.

The Assembly voted to send the original report and the proposed substitute
back to ACSWP with instructions that it "strengthen" the original in
consultation with the General Assembly Council's Office of Theology and
Worship and report to next year's 216th Assembly in Richmond, VA.

The Changing Families Panel will discuss a draft of a theological statement
on family - which it requested from the Office of Theology and Worship in
July - during the first session of this month's meeting, which starts at 7
p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

After Wednesday's open hearing, the Changing Families Panel will discuss the
draft theological statement Thursday morning before adjourning at noon.

The open hearing is expected to last from 8:45 a.m. until 10. People
interested in speaking to the ACSWP group should sign up ahead of time. They
will be permitted to speak for two to five minutes each, depending on their
number.

"People who are unable to travel to Louisville and yet wish to communicate
with the Changing Families Panel may send their feedback and concerns to the
ACSWP offices," Sulyok said. He noted that email is a convenient way of
communicating with the committee, but "the traditional mail response is also
welcomed."

Write to Peter Sulyok (psulyok@ctr.pcusa.org), coordinator, Advisory
Committee on Social Witness Policy, Presbyterian Church USA, 100 Witherspoon
Street, Room 3607, Louisville, KY 40202-1396; or reach the ACSWP office by
phone at (800) 728-7228, ext. 5814, or by fax at (502) 569-8041.

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