Mid Councils report
The
Report of the Mid Council Commission is sweeping, comprehensive and bold. I
highly recommend careful study of their report, which is a book length analysis
of our Church today. I followed the discussion of the Commission’s report at
the Committee meeting. It was clear to me that the kind of bold, creative
innovation which the Mid Council Commission was advocating in their report is
hard to mesh into the strict process and procedures of our meeting of the
General Assembly. This seemed to be almost a clash of cultures within the church
itself around the huge question of how to become more flexible, innovative and
willing to experiment. Thus while there was great appreciation for the Mid
Council report, the Assembly was not able to approve it and simply approved
further discussion. My personal and sad perception of the reality around this
discussion is that there is not enough trust in the church to allow the kind of
bold innovation which the Mid Council report advocated. This debate on the
floor of the General Assembly was passionate and the final text, copied here,
was approved by a vote of 364 to 293.
Final Text:
Refer Recommendations 1-4 to refer the Mid Council Commission report and recommendations 1-4, to a task force to further discuss, refine, and bring to the 221st General Assembly (2014) recommendations that consider the composition and organization of the Mid Councils in ways that reinvigorate their capacity to support missional congregations, and advance the ecclesial nature and character of those presbyteries, within the unity of the church. The Moderator of the 220th General Assembly (2012) will name the task force. It will be composed of an equal number of persons from the Mid Council Commission, COGA, and commissioners to the 220th General Assembly (2012). The optimal size of such a task force is twelve-to-fifteen persons. The Office of the General Assembly, including the coordinator of the MidCouncil Relations, will provide staff support to the task force.
Refer Recommendations 1-4 to refer the Mid Council Commission report and recommendations 1-4, to a task force to further discuss, refine, and bring to the 221st General Assembly (2014) recommendations that consider the composition and organization of the Mid Councils in ways that reinvigorate their capacity to support missional congregations, and advance the ecclesial nature and character of those presbyteries, within the unity of the church. The Moderator of the 220th General Assembly (2012) will name the task force. It will be composed of an equal number of persons from the Mid Council Commission, COGA, and commissioners to the 220th General Assembly (2012). The optimal size of such a task force is twelve-to-fifteen persons. The Office of the General Assembly, including the coordinator of the MidCouncil Relations, will provide staff support to the task force.
