Day 6 - Tuesday

Today's notes. It was a big day. You'll probably see this on the news - I'm not even wanting to watch, really. There is no way that the media will report this correctly... it'll be spun like a nice wad of cotton candy. Well... except not so sweet.

So... the PUP report. I know that my notes will not be sufficient... so let me say a few words. First of all, before you assume too much - please read it for yourself. It doesn't say what many people think it says!! There are no references to homosexuality; it doesn't talk about the ordination of homosexuals; it doesn't define marriage...

What the report does do is talk about the church remembering to be one! And remembering to seek God. And looking to Scripture. And the "controversial" part talks about Presbyteries having the power to approve people for ordination - something that they have had all along!! The Authoritative Interpretation in Recommendation #5 is where most people freak out and run screaming. This is where most people draw the line in the sand.

But what it says - simply and completely - is this:

5. The Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church recommends that the 217th General Assembly (2006) approve the following authoritative interpretation of section G-6.0108 of the Book of Order:

a. The Book of Confessions and the Form of Government of the Book of Order set forth the scriptural and constitutional standards for ordination and installation.

b. These standards are determined by the whole church, after the careful study of Scripture and theology, solely by the constitutional process of approval by the General Assembly with the approval of the presbyteries. These standards may be interpreted by the General Assembly and its Permanent Judicial Commission.

c. Ordaining and installing bodies, acting as corporate expressions of the church, have the responsibility to determine their membership by applying these standards to those elected to office. These determinations include:

(1) Whether a candidate being examined for ordination and/or installation as elder, deacon, or minister of Word and Sacrament has departed from scriptural and constitutional standards for fitness for office,

(2) Whether any departure constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and polity under G-6.0108 of the Book of Order, thus barring the candidate from ordination and/or installation.

d. Whether the examination [assembly amendment: and ordination and installation decision] comply with the constitution of the PCUSA, and whether the ordaining/installing body has conducted its examination reasonably, responsibly, prayerfully, and deliberately in deciding to ordain a candidate for church office is subject to review by higher governing bodies.

e. All parties should endeavor to outdo one another in honoring one another’s decisions, according the presumption of wisdom to ordaining/installing bodies in examining candidates and to the General Assembly, with presbyteries’ approval, in setting standards.

Scripture informs our Constitution, the Church trusts the General Assembly and National governmental process to uphold the Constitution, the local church (Presbyteries and congregations) apply the standards found in the Constitution and Scripture (as affirmed by the national government), examine candidates, honor one another's decisions (but there are always ways to discuss/debate/question them). That's all. That's all it says. Take a deep breath and read before making assumptions about the future of the church.

Follow the example of the Task Force... and of the General Assembly... and pray. Let God be the One to guide the Church. The Spirit was present and among us today as we worked on this. While I am convinced that no one is really happy with the outcome, I do think we are now in a position to have some discussion and work toward a more concrete answer for which many people are desperate.

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• Tuesday, 20 June 2006: 9:00am – 12:00pm (Plenary)
• Opening story – from Desert Fathers/Mothers
• If you will, you can become all flame
• Opening Prayer
• Moderator CPC
• Elected last night
• Report from 03 – Financial Implications (Vince Thomas, Moderator)
• Per capita budget

Yr	Approved	per capita cents increase	yet to be approved	per capita cents increase
2006	$8,565	0.36	$28,140	1.19
2007	$0	0	$198,680	8.65
2008	$8,565	0.039	$98,852	4.4

• Report from 08 – Mission Budget Financial Implications
• Mission budget

Yr	Approved	yet to be approved
2006	$8,384	$0
2007	$16,768	$30,150
2008	$16,384	$20,150

• 08 Mission Coordination and Budget (Part I)
• 08-15 – Confirmation of Linda Bryant Valentine
• Nancy Kahaian
• Linda Bryant Valentine
• Move to approve
• 87, 10, 3
• Installation of Linda
• Thanks to Search Committee and John Detterick
• Party to meet and thank Linda and John
• Tonight following evening plenary in Concert Hall lobby
• Motion to thank John Detterick
• So ordered
• 08-08 – Change to the GAC Structure (as amended)
• Motion passes
• 08-09 – Changes to Manual of Operations (as amended)
• So ordered
• 08-14 – Changes to Organization for Mission
• So ordered
• 08-16 – Latitude for GANC
• So ordered
• GANC – Nominations for GAC
• Only had to vote on individuals that were challenged.
• Motion to have Speak Out now and start after lunch with 06
• 1.30pm will begin with prayer – doors will be closed until prayer is completed
• Tuesday, 20 June 2006: 1:30am – 5:30pm (Plenary)
• Open with prayer
• Image of approaching our home church, walking in, walking to the communion table, touching the top, running our fingers over the words “In Remembrance of Me” and then placing on the table the one thing…
• Closed with “Spirit of the Living God, Fall Afresh on Me”
• 06 Ecclesiology – Blair Monie, Minister Commissioner, Moderator
• TTF
• Rec 1-4
• Most important
• While we may be on diff theo pages – we are in one book: Christian Reformed Presbyterian
• We are all right about one thing: Christ
• How can we remain one body?
• Form diverse Discernment groups in Presbyteries
• Use tools for communal discernment – as a compliment, not replacement, for parliamentary procedures
• Committee Comment
• One central goal – all meetings/deliberations
• Fairness, impartial leadership
• Access to every voice
• Listen to each voice
• Listened:
• 60 people in Open Hearings
• 22 Overture Advocates
• Spent time in worship and discernment
• Prayed for guidance during deliberations
• 06-01 – Adopt the Task Force
• Motion to accept Rec 1-4 as amended
• 91, 8, 1
• Motion to adopt with comment Rec 5 (as amended), Rec 6 and Rec 7 as one indivisible package
• Minority Report – Disapprove 5, Approve 6 & 7
• Speech in affirmation of Pt 5 from platform
• Speech in affirmation of Minority Report
• Perfect the Main Motion – Accept 5 (as amended), 6 and 7
• Move to amend by striking the word “Authoritative”
• AD – no
• C – 19, 80, 1
• Question to TTF – impact of removing Rec 5 from the report
• Stacy Johnson – TTF
• Intent to be a single package
• Not appropriate to amend constitution, but to make it clear
• Failure to pass 5 will lead to a theological viewpoint (already passed in Rec 1) but without practical ‘legs’
• ??
• AI changes practice without consulting entire church – will lead to division in the church
• How does TTF feel about committee amendment to 5
• Minority side
• Support the amendment
• Mike Lauten – TTF
• “We like it, we wish we had thought of it”
• Move to amend
• Insert after first appearance of word “examination” the words “and ordination and installation decision”; change the word “complies” to “comply”
• 58, 41, 1
• Declared perfected
• Perfect the Minority Report
• Question – Rec 6 is dependent on 5
• No move to strike 6!
• Declared perfected – even with the inconsistency!!
• Discussion
• So far is it going fairly well – passionate while remaining faithful. I, personally, am thoroughly confused and unsure how I want to vote. I want to honor the work of the TTF and keep the recommendations in tact… but I don’t know if I want to open the door to the liberal interpretations that may be coming. But I don’t see that the intent of Rec 5 would be to allow such interpretations… I just don’t see it!
• 45, 55, 0 – Main motion remains the main motion
• Move to recommend 217^th GA refer w/ comment # 5, 6 to Presbyteries with following work
• From committee
• Presbyteries have already had 9 months to consider and respond – including overtures to this GA
• 45, 55, 0 – Motion fails
• Final Vote
• AD
• YADs: Y
• TSADs: Y – 64, 36, 0
• MADs: Y
• EADs: Y
• C: 57, 43, 0 – Motion Passes
• Prayer – ended with Kum-ba-yah J
• 06-05 Rec 3
• Passes
• 06-07 with comment
• So ordered
• 06-11 disapproval
• So ordered
• All remaining items by action taken on 06-01
• So ordered
• Patrick Wrisley – Questions
• Do we know what we have done?
• Will the GA Office realize the need that it will have to, more than likely, work with fellow churches and Presbyteries that are having difficult reactions to the actions taken today?
• Does the GA Office have a TF or group that will look at the consequences of people withholding funds?
• Clerks response
• A letter will be prepared to go to churches
• 04 Church Orders
• 04-11 – Christian Marriage
• Move to disapprove
• W-4.9001 – already clear about marriage
• Motion passes
• 04-12 Reaffirming that Marriage Between a man and a woman…
• Move to disapprove
• 65, 33, 2 – Motion to disapprove carries
• Move to reconsider 04-11
• Because we didn’t understand the voting
• 60, 40, 0
• 04-11
• 65, 34, 0
• Move to reconsider 04-12
• Because we didn’t understand the voting
• 247, 247, 0 – Motion fails J
• 04-13 On Pastoral Counsel for Sexual Sin
• Move to disapprove
• 66, 34, 0
• 04-01 New AI
• Move to disapprove
• Passing the PUP report
• Motion to refer with all concurrences motion to 218^th GA
• Fails
• 81, 18, 1
• Close for the night. The rest will be addressed tomorrow