July 9, 2010
Today was a full day with a wide range of business. The commissioners continue to do their work with mutual respect and courage.
Morning worship today focused on the inclusivity of the church with a stirring sermon that encouraged us to consider how best those living waters that flow from our believers hearts might reflect God’s love and concern for all the world.
There were significant business items in the areas of Peacemaking, Justice and the Middle East. Our commissioners will be sharing some of these conversations with the Presbytery at its September meeting.
You may have seen some news reporting about a demonstration with arrests this afternoon. I was off the floor at the time, but learned that this was a protest by some who would have preferred the church to take other actions about GLBT concerns. The protest began with the protestors crossing the boundary that separates the commissioners from the rest of the hall, standing silently with signs and then singing a hymn. General Assembly staff and security offered each demonstrator the option to leave voluntarily or to be arrested for trespassing. Some chose to be arrested.
As we come to the end of the Assembly’s business we are mindful that all the hours sitting in chairs in committee and plenary, all the motions voted on, all the conversation and mutual respect are but a drop of living water to respond to the worlds thirst for mercy and compassion, justice and hope.
This particular group of commissioners has done remarkable work. Their work invites us to continue the to the ministry we all share: to be the people of God in word and deed.
Please continue to pray for the commissioners as they journey back home to congregations, families and friends.
Unless something very unusual happens ---this is my last installment. I hope this has helped you feel some of the connection we have one with the other in our beloved church.
Judy
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July 8, 2010
BREAKING NEWS:
The Moderator of GA has given us a verbal acceptance to be with us at our January Presbytery meeting
Today’s worship focused on the commissioning of missionaries who will serve here and abroad as well as a recognition of those who have been in mission service for more than 20 years.
It was a very busy day at GA today with many significant issues and concerns coming before the commissioners. I encourage you to read the reports on line at www.pcusa.org/219GA. Today’s decisions will have impact on a variety of people and expressions of the church.
There was a commission established to work with the power of General Assembly with Synods and Presbyteries who seek assistance in reshaping their futures and finding ways for shared ministry and collaboration.
A major interfaith paper was referred back for rewriting because it did not consider the Christians who are in the middle east.
Today’s decisions will send more Amendments to the Presbyteries for their consideration and vote on Book of Order language about Certified Christian Educators, the section of the book known as G 6 106 b (or as some still name it Amendment B).
There will be two study papers on Christian Marriage and Civil Unions sent to all congregations. Each paper presents a different view. It is hoped that having both papers will help sessions and congregations as they engage in learning and conversation and discernment.
In and through all this heavy business there were technological glitches and YAAD led energizers that literally made the floor shake. We heard from ecumenical and missionary visitors, a necrology moment for Jack Stott, former President of Austin Seminary, and saw a couple of videos about churches who are reaching out to neighbors.
Tomorrow promises to be another full day. Please keep all these wonderful hard working commissioners in your prayers!
Judy
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Istanbul Rocks the House!
Commissioners doing Istanbul
July 7, 2010
The day began with a wonderful and lively Ecumenical worship service. It was my personal joy to hear an old (as in long standing, not age) friend preach a vibrant and challenging sermon. There are a whole bunch of images from the service…a wonderful Minnesota boys choir, an African folk group, liturgists from a wide variety of denominational and geographical settings.
The reunion aspect of the Assembly continued for me through lunch where I enjoyed reconnecting with a friend and colleague.
The gavel fell at 1:30 convening the plenary and decision making phase of the Assembly. Some preliminary procedures regarding financial implications and how to use the wireless key pads the commissioners use for voting provided for a bit of a warmup.
At 4:30 the Stated Clerk told the Assembly this is the most efficient moderator he has ever seen. All the afternoon business had been accomplished.
After a dinner break and some more warm up time, the commissioners tackled the new Form of Government. Because the Moderator had served on the Task Force for FOG, she invited the newly installed Vice Moderator to preside during this part of the meeting. The debate was lively but mutually respectful. The final decision was to send this document on to the Presbyteries for their consideration and vote.
(My hunch is that we in Newton Presbytery might have some interest in conversational groups to learn more about the document and prepare for our January consideration when we do our overture voting. Of course we’ll provide a brief opportunity at Presbytery meeting in September. If you’d like to go deeper and convene or participate in a colleague learning group, please let me know. We have paper copies of the report and the original documents. Groups can begin whenever they would like.)
There was a sense of accomplishment among the commissioners when the Assembly recessed for the evening. They have finished a significant piece of business. Word on the fringes is this could turn into a very significant assembly…we’ll keep you posted here and on Facebook.
Please keep those prayers coming!
Judy
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African Choir
Communion
Peg Chamberlain
Worship
Walter Mondale
Stated Clerk
July 6, 2010
People are getting weary. Most committees finished their work by mid afternoon. I understand a couple will work into the night and at least one has been called back in for 7:45 tomorrow morning. Too bad, they will miss a good worship service.
Speaking of worship, today’s worship was very traditional…children’s choir, classic preacher and a renewal of baptismal vows. We continue the theme of living waters flowing from the believer’s heart.
I visited a number of committees to observe their work. I was impressed with the prevalent mutual respect even for those whose opinions were radically different. Once today I saw a committee declare its own accountability for behavior that seemed unfitting to their covenant. It’s good to see a group maintain its own accountability.
I also participated in a Focus Group on special offerings today. We talked about better ways to do mission interpretation and began to explore more contemporary remittance possibilities.
The commissioners and I had dinner on the roof of Joe’s Garage in Loring Park. The carillon of St. Mark’s Basilica punctuated our conversation for a while. The weather was warm but not as humid as the last few days and it was fun to be up where we could see a different view of the city…oh and the food was good too!
Tomorrow morning is a reading time for commissioners and then its on to the plenary…or as we say at GA we’re on the floor so that the whole Assembly can consider the work of each committee.
Please continue to keep the commissioners and the whole Assembly in your prayers.
Judy
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Church Orders
Committee does part of their work in small groups for discernment.
Phyllis Tickle addresses middle governing body staff
July 5, 2010
I began the day observing committees in session. (Yesterday’s sessions were closed to observers) I visited the committee working on interfaith relationships. After questions to the Stated Clerk the committee went into what is known as open hearings. These sessions give anyone who is present and registered for the Assembly to make their opinions known to the committee before the committee deliberates on the business before it. First up in committee 8 was Mitch Trigger speaking against the Overture sent by Yukon Presbytery.
Unfortunately pc-biz is down right now. I cannot look at the documents but the committee has the advantage of a powerpoint version. One more frustration about technology. We keep trying.
I’ll be moving around various committees today as well as participating in an invitational conversation with Phyllis Tickle on the emerging church. It looks like it will be a busy day. Our commissioners will spend the entire day and evening working in their assigned committees.
For those who have not been to GA let me tell you what this room looks like: at the front of the room there is a committee of about 50 persons sitting in a double sided square “fishbowl”.
I’ve moved to the committee considering the new Form of Government known as “FOG” motion is on the table with a substitute motion quick on its heels. Some say this is the most important item before this General Assembly. This particular committee began its work last week. They have the flow of amendments and perfecting in hand and are moving forward with their work. More than once I heard a comment like “we want to give the Assembly the best document they can have”. The amendments I watched them consider were thoughtful and helpful to the document, at least from my point of view.
Phyllis Tickle challenged us all to think about Church in a new way. I took notes but most of what she said can be found in her book, The Great Emergence. I commend it to you.
This evening I sat in with the committee that is considering issues about church order. What a surprise this group is seated in small groups and the energy is palpable. They began their evening with a wonderful centering worship service. They have one hour scheduled for small group discussions using the process of mutual invitation as they invite one another to talk about several issues they evidently identified earlier in the day. It is a great process for the commissioners…chatting, laughing and praying. But one that is difficult to observe so I decided to visit another committee until they come back into plenary.
Moving on I went to the committee meeting that is charged with overtures dealing with peacemaking in the middle east. This is the largest room I have been in today. Lots of observers in the room. This committee is still listening to those who signed up to speak with them. 140 people signed up to testify before the committee. Unable to accommodate all those who wished to speak the committee decided to utilize a lottery to choose which of the 140 would be asked to make a presentation to the committee.
It appears that this committee’s work provokes both interest and passion of many people. Here is another committee to watch carefully.
Tomorrow is the last day for committees to complete their work. Every GA I wonder if it is doable given how much more they have to do in one day. Every year the committees manage to finish. Think I’ll go to bed and sleep well, assured that the Spirit is present and working among those who are called to commissioners at this General Assembly.
Please continue to keep ours and all commissioners in your prayers.
Judy
July 4, 2010
The fourth of July brought some of Mother Nature’s fireworks in scattered thunderstorms around the metropolitan area. The sun came up and everything steamed up nicely. It was a hot and sultry day.
Opening worship is always something very special at GA and today was no exception. Over 8,000 people gathered, welcomed by bagpipes. The heritage of this region was evident in a call to worship that invited our whole beings into worship: dance and drums; voices of Native Americans; bigger than life puppets of American bald eagles. Sights and sounds to behold. It was difficult for me to capture the pictures…hopefully Joe Martinoni can help us find a professional videographer’s rendering. Words are not enough.
Unique to this particular opening worship was the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism. Presbyterians from around the world stood with the congregation of Kwaanza Community Church, the only African American Presbyterian Church in all of Minnesota, as they baptized one of their own, Alexis Renee Sanders. This was the first Baptism ever at a General Assembly worship and how fitting in this land of thousands of lakes and rivers—living waters everywhere!
Commissioners spent the afternoon in their committees. Visitors scattered to various activities…I enjoyed some time at Target Field where the Twins were not victorious! Tonight there is the Moderator’s reception with fireworks and tomorrow work begins in earnest.
Thank you for your continued prayers!
Judy
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July 3, 2010
The first day in the plenary hall. Newton’s commissioners have practically first row seats! Jen Van Zandt promised to send me a picture which I hope to post on this day’s blog. The business meeting opened with commissioners’ commissioning which was set in the context of a quiet worship service led by Presbyterians from across the nation.
The commissioners had a long sit and then they had a working dinner as they were introduced to the six agencies of the General Assembly. Former Moderators of General Assembly were introduced before the questioning of the candidates. Former Moderators received standing ovation.
Add 6 candidates for moderator +Technological challenges+extended time for questioning and you get one very long night!
The Moderator of the 219th General Assembly is an Elder from National Capital Presbytery, Cynthia Bohlbach. She won on the fourth ballot. After her commissioning and a closing prayer, the commissioners were happy to be recessed.
Judy
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July 2, 2010
Minneapolis greeted arriving commissioners with a warm and breezy day. I always like a bit of wind at General Assembly--it is a good reminder of the Holy Spirit's presence.
Commissioners settled into hotel rooms that will be their homes away from home for the next week; found the convention center where they registered and picked up the important debit card that will help them cover expenses eating in downtown restaurants; and began to explore the streets and eateries of this wonderful city.
There were lots of hugs and smiles as old friends bumped into each other in a line or on the escalator. These first few days have a family reunion feel about them. Renewing relationships and making new friends are what it's all about!
The candidates for moderator were campaigning near the main door of the convention center. The election is tomorrow evening. I'll let you know who won as soon as I do.
I hope to get a few more pictures tomorrow. Please keep us all in your prayers!
Judy
Silent demonstration as we retuned from lunch. Marriage is on afternoon's docket.
