wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Ratification of Amendment B is trailing

[newsservice <newsservice@PCUSA.ORG>]

You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS

email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

To ensure continued delivery, please add newsservice@pcusa.org
to your address book or safe senders list.

Remember to visit www.pcusa.org/subscriptions to renew your subscription
this week if you haven't already.

========================================

This story online:

www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09150<http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09150

>Ratification of Amendment B is trailing

With nearly half the votes in, tally is 36-46, closer than
last time

>by Jerry L. Van Marter
>Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE ― With nearly half the votes in, a
hotly-contested proposed amendment to the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) Constitution is trailing. The amendment ―
officially dubbed "Amendment B" ― would replace the current
requirement that church officers live in "fidelity within
the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or
chastity in singleness" with a new G-6.0106b.

As of Feb. 25, the unofficial tally is 36 presbyteries in
favor, with 46 opposed. The final tally will be certified
and announced by the Office of the Stated Clerk.

A majority of the denomination's 173 presbyteries (87) must
vote to ratify the amendment proposed by last year's 218th
General Assembly in order for the new language to become
church law. If ratified, it would tie ordination decisions
more closely to assent to the ordination vows currently in
the church's Book of Order without singling out a sexual
conduct standard.

The proposed new G-6.0106b reads: "Those who are called to
ordained service in the church, by their assent to the
constitutional questions for ordination and installation
(W-4.4003), pledge themselves to live lives obedient to
Jesus Christ the Head of the Church, striving to follow
where he leads through the witness of the Scriptures, and
to understand the Scriptures through the instruction of the
Confessions. In so doing, they declare their fidelity to
the standards of the Church. Each governing body charged
with examination for ordination and/or installation
(G-14.0240 and G-14.0450) establishes the candidate's
sincere efforts to adhere to these standards."

The current "fidelity and chastity" provision was added to
the Book of Order in voting following the 1996 General
Assembly. Two subsequent proposals to delete it have failed
in presbytery voting ― following the 1997 Assembly by a
vote of 57-114 and following the 2001 Assembly by a vote of
46-127.

All indications are that the vote will be much closer this
year.

Fifteen of the 127 presbyteries that voted "No" in
2001-2002 have voted in favor of this year's amendment. No
presbyteries that voted "Yes" last time have switched to a
"No" this year.

If that pattern continues, 26 of the remaining 66
presbyteries that voted "No' last time would have to vote
"Yes" this year in order for the amendment to be ratified.

Presbyteries have until June 28 of this year to vote.

>The unofficial tally to date:

For (36): Albany, Arkansas, Baltimore, Cayuga-Syracuse,
Charlotte, Chicago, Cimarron, Des Moines, East Tennessee,
Eastern Oregon, Giddings-Lovejoy, Great Rivers, Greater
Atlanta, Hudson River, John Knox, Lake Huron, Maumee
Valley, Mid-Kentucky, Milwaukee, Monmouth, New Castle, New
Hope, Newton, Northern Kansas, Ohio Valley, Palisades,
Redwoods, Santa Fe, Scioto Valley, Sheppards & Lapsley,
Southeastern Illinois, Tropical Florida, Upper Ohio Valley,
Western North Carolina, Winnebago.

Against (46): Blackhawk, Carlisle, Central Florida, Central
Washington, Cherokee, Cincinnati (tie), Donegal, Eastern
Oklahoma, Eastern Virginia, Flint River, Florida,
Foothills, Glacier, Homestead, Huntingdon, Inland
Northwest, James, Lackawanna, Lake Erie, Los Ranchos, Miami
Valley, Mid-South, Mississippi, New Covenant, North
Alabama, Palo Duro, Peaks, Pines, Plains and Peaks,
Prospect Hill, Pueblo, Sacramento, San Diego, San Fernando,
San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Shenandoah, Southern Kansas,
St. Andrew, St. Augustine, Stockton, Tres Rios, Utica,
Washington, Western Colorado, Western Kentucky, Wyoming.

"No" last time, "Yes" this year (15): Arkansas, Charlotte,
Cimarron, East Tennessee, Great Rivers, Greater Atlanta,
Lake Huron, Maumee Valley, New Hope, Ohio Valley, Sheppards
& Lapsley, Southeastern Illinois, Tres Rios, Western North
Carolina.

========================================

You are currently subscribed to the PCUSANEWS

email list of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

>For questions or comments, send an email to
>mailto:PCUSANEWS-request@halak.pcusa.org.

To learn more, visit http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/

>Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
>100 Witherspoon Street
>Louisville, KY 40202
>(888) 728-7228