General Assembly (2014) #17

Marriage: 

A constitutional amendment allowing same gender marriage was approved by the General Assembly with a vote of 429 to 175. It will be necessary for our presbytery to vote on this action and for a majority of presbyteries to approve it before it is added to our Book of Order. In my mind, it is crucially important that the sentence copied here was added and approved also. 

"Nothing herein shall compel a teaching elder to perform nor compel a session to authorize the use of church property for a marriage service that the teaching elder or the session believes is contrary to the teaching elder’s or the session’s discernment of the Holy Spirit and their understanding of the Word of God."

The challenge before us is precisely clear. Can we be one church with two definitions of marriage? I believe we can. I will work for this kind of church. Our ability to do this may be a remarkable witness to the world. 

General Assembly (2014) #16

Pastoral Letter:

June 19, 2014

To congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Earlier today, the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved a recommendation from its Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues allowing for pastoral discretion to perform “any such marriage they believe the Holy Spirit calls them to perform,” where legal by state law.

They also approved a recommendation to change language in the Book of Order to indicate that “marriage involves a unique commitment between two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”
Both decisions came with much thought, discussion, and prayer, and clearly the entire body that is the PC(USA) will be interpreting these actions for some time.

Please know that the same triune God in whom we place our hope, faith, and trust in is still in control, and that the assembly’s action today is the result of deep discernment to hear God’s voice and discern God’s will.

We concur with the feelings expressed by Teaching Elder Commissioner Jeffrey Bridgeman, moderator of the Assembly Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues, during his presentation to the assembly.
“The apostle Paul tells us that ours is, in fact, ‘the ministry of reconciliation’ as ‘ambassadors of Christ,’ and he died for us so that we might be reconciled, that we might become reconcilers,” Bridgeman said.

In this season of both happiness and sadness over the assembly’s decisions, we call on you to remember the overflowing grace and love God gifts us with, and to take seriously our charge to bestow the same grace and love on one another.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,
Ruling Elder Heath K. Rada
Moderator, 221st General Assembly (2014)

The Reverend Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

Ruling Elder Linda Bryant Valentine
Executive Director, Presbyterian Mission Agency

General Assembly (2014) #15

Committee Work is finished. The whole General Assembly will convene again today, Wednesday, at 2:00 p.m. The respective committees have:

Approved, by a vote of 49 -18, an amendment to the constitution concerning marriage copied here. If approved by the General Assembly this will come to the presbyteries for vote.

   “If they meet the requirements of the civil jurisdiction in which they intend to marry, a couple may request that a service of Christian marriage be conducted by a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), who is authorized, though not required, to act as an agent of the civil jurisdiction in recording the marriage contract. A couple requesting a service of Christian marriage shall receive instruction from the teaching elder, who [shall] [may] agree to the couple’s request only if, in the judgment of the teaching elder, the couple demonstrate sufficient understanding of the nature of the marriage covenant and commitment to living their lives together according to its values. In making this decision, the teaching elder may seek the counsel of the session, which has authority to permit or deny the use of church property for a marriage service."

Approved, by a vote of 51 -18, a new Authoritative Interpretation concerning marriage copied here:

Exercising such discretion and freedom of conscience under the prayerful guidance of Scripture, teaching elders may conduct a marriage service for any such couple in the place where the community gathers for worship, [if]  [so long as it is] approved by the session; or in such other place as may be suitable for a service of Christian worship. In no case shall any teaching elder’s conscience be bound to conduct any marriage service for any couple except by his or her understanding of the Word, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The authoritative interpretation of this section by the 203rd General Assembly (1991) (Minutes, 1991, Part I, p. 395, paragraphs 21.124–128), and the subsequent authoritative interpretations of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission relying upon it, are withdrawn and replaced with this authoritative interpretation.'


Approved the Confession of Belhar to be included in our Book of Confessions. The committee vote was 46 to 0. This is a constitutional issue. If approved by the whole General Assembly this will come to the presbyteries for vote. 

Amended and approved the Mid Council Report, with a vote of 65 to 1, which will initiate the restructuring of our Synods. An important section of the recommendation is copied here: 

 Direct that a new configuration of synod boundaries be established [based on an emerging sense of purpose, partnership, context, and call through a collaborative process] between the synods and presbyteries [resulting in no more than 10-12 synods]. resulting in no more than eight [twelve] larger regional synods, each with an emerging sense of purpose, partnership, context, and call. The synods shall report to the 222nd General Assembly (2016).

General Assembly (2014) #14

Living Missionally The Congregation Vitality committee approved by a vote of 44 - 0 a recommendation from the General Assembly Mission Agency titled "Living Missionally." I was at the Committee discussion and vote on this recommendation. There was a remarkable, positive spirit and enthusiasm. After the comments from the staff of the Mission Agency, various committee members expressed support. It is this spirit of unity and vision which is another important aspect of this General Assembly. All the publicity and media attention, including mention in the New York Times yesterday, is focused on our divisions and conflict. But there is also conversation, including this recommendation to Live Missionally, around which the General Assembly conversation is united and energized. As I wrote earlier, I believe this is the most important recommendation coming out of this year's General Assembly. This is not a top-down, mandated, new program. This is simply an invitation to a conversation about what Jesus is calling us to be and do together.   The recommendation is: 1.    Acknowledge the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s historic commitment to joining Christ’s mission in local and global communities. 2.    Encourage congregations, mid councils, and the Presbyterian Mission Agency to join intentionally in God’s mission to transform our world and address root causes of societal injustices by following Christ’s example of service through faith, hope, love, and witness. 3.    Launch a churchwide initiative that will inspire, equip, and connect Presbyterians to continue to go beyond the walls of their congregations and increase their engagement in service to their communities and the world. 4.    Direct the Presbyterian Mission Agency to develop tangible metrics to determine success and impact and report back to the 222nd General Assembly (2016), sharing progress made and identifying strategies for deeper engagement in 2016–18. The Committee's comment on this recommendation is copied here:

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a historical commitment to joining Christ’s mission in local and global communities and many have discussed and written about the concept of the missional church in recent years. The Presbyterian Mission Agency, in its 2013–2016 Mission Work Plan, has made engaging young adults through mission and volunteer service a priority and believes shaping multigenerational, faith-based relationships dedicated to service in local communities and the world will help the church better follow Christ’s mission. For nearly 200 years, the Presbyterian church has served as one of the greatest forces for mission in the world. The church is called to minister to the immediate needs and hurts of people. The Book of Order states: “In the life of the congregation, individual believers are equipped for the ministry of witness to the love and grace of God in and for the world. The congregation reaches out to people, communities, and the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ, to gather for worship to offer care and nurture to God’s children, to speak for social justice and righteousness, and to bear witness to the truth and to the reign of God that is coming into the world” (G-1.0101). Presbyterians have sought to be a mission-centered church from their inception and have a strong, unwavering belief that there is no other way truly to be the church. Many have discussed and written about the concept of the missional church in recent years. One Presbyterian scholar, Darrell Guder, has written on this vital topic for the church today. In his book, Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America, Guder and his colleagues provide key insights into the recent missional church movement. Guder and his colleagues discuss three themes that are important to this proposal: the shift the church must make, the purpose of the church, and the role of denominational structures. Guder argues that to be missional the church must “move from church with mission to missional church.” Most churches articulate a commitment to mission and have a mission program. If they are large enough, they likely will have a specific pastor devoted to mission. Many churches support several overseas missionaries and are probably contributing money and service to a local mission, homeless shelter, or food bank. In this construct, mission is seen as one of the many activities and programs of the church. The purpose of the local church is not to be what Guder calls “vendors of religious services and goods,” with mission merely being one of a myriad of programs. Rather, doing mission is central to what it means to be the church. This is the shift that the church must make. The second major theme in Guder’s work challenges the very definition of what it means to be the church. Guder argues that it is “a new understanding of the church as a body of people sent on a mission.” The church is thus not only a body that gathers for a worship service. The church is also a group of people organizing together so they can serve the community around them most effectively. The purpose of gathering is to be sent. Guder states, “The public worship of the mission community always leads to the pivotal act of sending. The community that is called together is the community that is sent. Every occasion of public worship is a sending event.” To a missional church, worship is driven more by what must happen after the service. What it truly means to be the church, according to Guder, is “the people of God who are called and sent to re-present the reign of God. This vocation is rooted in the good news, the gospel: in Jesus Christ the reign of God is at hand and is now breaking in.” For Guder, the focus of the staff and the commitment of the resources are directed toward helping people to re-present Christ to their neighbors in their everyday lives.

General Assembly (2014) #11

Social Witness Policy:

In a previous era, before the internet, when information was shared in very different ways and in different forms than today the Presbyterian Church's social witness policy documents were often influential and widely read. The Presbyterian Church has a long heritage of speaking to public issues with a theological depth and academic rigor that was often widely studied and appreciated. There was a day when policy papers on social issues were themselves important discussions at the General Assembly. Times have changed, academic rigor within the church has decreased, and the attention span and interest of Presbyterians in theological reflection on social issues has diminished. Nonetheless the General Assembly continues this good work, and several important social witness policy papers are among the actions items at this year's General Assembly.  

For example: 
The Power to Change - U.S. Energy Policy and Global Warming
Available on PC-Biz under Committee 15 "Immigration and Environmental Issues." (https://www.pcusa.org/resource/power-change-us-energy-policy-global-warming/)

Tax Justice: A Christian Response to the New Gilded Age
Available on PC-Biz under Committee 09, "Social Justice Issues", 09-16 (https://www.pc-biz.org/PC biz.WebApp_deploy/(S(xnlblfk1p2ip2t3fhju5a3mj))/Committee2.aspx).

General Assembly (2014) #10

The Launching of the “Fellowship Community”:

There will be a significant institutional restructuring of the evangelical voice within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The "Fellowship of Presbyterians" and "Presbyterians for Renewal" are merging their organizations to form the "Fellowship Community". The Fellowship of Presbyterians was a gathering of evangelical Presbyterians out of which the new ECO denomination emerged. The new Fellowship Community will not have any formal connection with ECO.

This note is copied from the Presbyterians for Renewal website:

It is with great joy and anticipation that we celebrate the launch of a new movement as the Fellowship of Presbyterians and Presbyterians for Renewal (PFR) join together to nurture and connect gospel-centered PC(USA) congregations and expand relationships with our counterparts in other mainline traditions.

The Fellowship Community is not an “association” to join. We are building a new community around Christ-centered mission, accountability, theological integrity, and cultural engagement. We are following the Holy Spirit’s leading into a new season of mission and ministry, shaping an evangelical witness and actively participating in God’s mission in the context of our 21^st century church and culture.

General Assembly (2014) #9

Celebrate World Mission

The General Assembly celebrated and commissioned a huge new class of mission co-workers. Including spouses this is a group of 49 mission co-workers, from Hugh and Teena Anderson from Cascades Presbytery to serve in China to Claire Zuhosky from Shenango Presbytery to serve in Niger. This is a remarkable group of gifted people with amazing gifts going out all around the world to serve in partnership with partner churches, schools and medical facilities on our behalf. Is this not one of the most important expressions of ministry that we do together as a church? 

Can the Presbytery of Carlisle start a simple but transforming campaign to insure that each our congregations is connected, aware and supportive of our ministry in World Mission? Can every congregation learn about and engage with the ministry of at least one mission co-worker?