Opening & Issues

Dawn and I went to the opening session Saturday morning.  The Commissioners and Delegates were commissioned and welcomed with a brief worship service.  The afternoon session was mostly orientation to the assembly processes.  Last night's session was to elect a Moderator for the Assembly - Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow was elected on the second ballot.

There are a variety of issues being considered at the Assembly.  The top ten are listed and summarized on the page linked below.  In Presbyterian speak, proposals are submitted as "overtures" to the General Assembly and referred to a committee for recommendation.  The committee weighs all the pros and cons and recommends action to the Assembly, which then votes on the overture.  There are 17 committees.  

Jenna is assigned to committee 05, Church Orders and Ministry.  This committee's main work at this assembly will be dealing with overtures related to ordination standards and overtures relative to the Peace, Unity and Purity report that was approved at the last assembly.  The key issue is ordination of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered members (GLBT). 

In the Presbyterian Church, when we speak of ordination, we are talking about ordination of Elders and Deacons, as well as ministers.  Currently our Book of Order has the following requirement for ordination "to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman, or chastity in singleness.  Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament."

Most of the overtures before Jenna's committee deal with either affirming this statement or proposing to strike it or modify it in such a way as to allow for ordination regardless of sexual orientation.  The Presbyterian Church currently welcomes GLBTs into membership, but does not allow them to be ordained.  

Over the past several months, Jenna has worked really hard at reading materials and books relative to this issue.  I'm especially proud of her for reading materials from the side opposite her point of view to try to understand all views.  She has also worked hard at trying to accept that Christians can disagree on certain issues, still be committed Christians, love each other and work together for all those things we do agree on.  She has also learned a lot about what it means to try to discern God's calling and not just rely on our own opinions.

Jenna's committee will meet for the first time today.