Blogging the PC(USA) General Assembly for The Presbyterian OUTLOOK
Here’s a list of my PC(USA) General Assembly blog posts for The Presbyterian Outlook.
- – Wrap Up & Pack Up
- – A Fair Hearing? an explanation of the procedural questions on the definition of marriage at General Assembly.
- – The Questions Coming Sunday Morning
- – Contemplate This, a hodgepodge of opinion/analysis of Wednesday’s meeting.
- – Social Media at General Assembly
- – Committee Size Matters
- – Lunch with the Vice Mod
- – Reading the Tea Leaves of the Moderator Election
- – The Family Reunion: For Good or for Ill
Paltry Posts and PC(USA) General Assembly Possibilities
The posts have been paltry recently, but next week everything will change. I’ll be attending the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly meeting in Minneapolis and blogging for The Presbyterian Outlook.
I’ll put links to my work here. I also have a few other writing pieces that may come out next week to which I’ll link as well. So, apologies for the past week, but good things come to those who wait. Also, for you non PC(USA) people, sorry for a week of very Presbyterian posts. I’ll make it up to you at some point.
But if you are connected to or interested in the PC(USA) General Assembly: What would you like to see covered by the Presbyterian Outlook blogger? What should I consider, discuss, debate, relate, rehash or refry?
Update: see my first (and pre-GA) post at the Outlook website here.
Teaching an Old Denomination New Tricks
Yesterday, for the first time, I participated in a Webinar. Being who I am, it was a Webinar hosted by The Presbyterian Outlook on issues before our next Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly. (Full disclosure: I’ll be blogging the assembly for the Outlook.) I found the Webinar very helpful, partly because it presented two differing perspectives but also because it helped me to begin to think again in terms of General Assembly debate and policy.
Here’s how it went down: Jack Haberer, editor of The Presbyterian Outlook, introduced the two speakers. Ron Shive spoke on favor of the Israel Palestine report coming before the assembly, and John Wimberly spoke against. Each speaker than gave his position on the issue, using powerpoint that flowed smoothly on my screen. There was no video of the speakers, but you could see their presentations clearly using the Webinar format. During the presentations, Jack received questions from the audience via instant messaging. After the presentations Jack asked some of the questions from the audience.
The format, though it did feel more removed than an actual in-person meeting, was more than sufficient. Part of me wishes there were a way to live chat more easily (I ended up doing some of that via Twitter), but I also fear that would be too snarky and angry quite quickly.
The Outlook is hosting a webinar every Tuesday in June. For more information, go to their website. If you’re a commissioner to the assembly, you can participate for free! The cost, for others, isn’t bad at all. Future topics include:
And, for all your GA info needs, check out the main website, as well as a spiffy unoffical GA Help site run by Robert Austell.
the Church is ALIVE — Charity:Water
You should check out The Church is Alive and their Lenten Charity:Water project. The Church is Alive is a blog/website/idea/group of presbyterian-type bloggers and videographers who explore the ways the church is alive today. Contrary to calls that the church is dying or already dead, the group runs a spiffy website and facebook page and the like, to showcase the more optimistic side of things — and, hopefully, the more true side of things. I guess, speaking theologically, if the church is the body of Christ it will never die. Well, these good folk keep the vision alive either way.
I’m giving them a bit of good PR now though, especially now because of their Lenten Charity: Water project. I’ll let their words fill you in below, but it seems like a good deal for sure. Additionally, I like to reward the ingenuity and tech-savvy to get an online project like this off the ground. Please help them towards their goal of raising $5,000 this Lent for Charity: Water. I did, and you should too.
From the Charity: Water announcement post of The Church is Alive:
In the days and weeks after the earthquake that hit Haiti, the churchisalive team – like so many others around the world – watched the images that flooded our television screens, computers, and magazines. Feelings of hurt,sadness, and helplessness filled us as we were reminded of the great need in our world each day of the week, let alone when a natural disaster strikes. As a team we donated and prayed, and continue to do so, but we felt that we should be doing more. This led us to conversations about partnering in mission with an organization, in order to raise awareness, to live into the call to help our sisters and brothers in Christ – to break out of our shells of apathy and take action.
We chose to launch a “water campaign” at the beginning of lent, because instead of giving something up, we wanted to add something to our lives and our world. There is something so somber and real about the Ash Wednesday services that we attended today. Something very poetic, very soul filled, to be reminded that our lives will too come to an end, and to dust we too will return. We believe that the charity:water initiative – the organization we have chosen to work with – reminds us of this message. After celebrating Fat Tuesday, in which we gorge ourselves on pancakes and whatever else we will soon be giving up during the season of lent, we gather on Ash Wednesday to begin the Lenten season as a community of faith that marches together into the reflection, confession and prayer of this season. As we walk away from the music and celebration that is Fat Tuesday, we walk into the silence and quiet of lent.
New Members, Confessions of Faith, and Creed Switches
The following is my March newsletter column at First Pres Hallock. I’m posting it just for funzies, I suppose, and because I enjoy reading other columns to steal ideas.
A Word from the Pastor
It was a joy to welcome five new members to our congregation during last Sunday’s worship service—and a minor scheduling miracle that they could all be there! Someone inquired about the liturgy we used for welcoming new members. The Presbyterian Church (USA) Book of Order suggests that new members, after they are received by the Session, should be recognized as part of a regular worship service. Perhaps this requirement is to ensure that new members don’t just slip in the back door, but are welcomed publicly in worship so that all might know and care for each other. As part of that public welcome, our new members confessed their faith by answering three short questions:
Do you profess your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior?
Do you renounce evil and affirm your reliance on God’s grace?
Do you intend to participate actively and responsibly in the worship and mission of the church?
As one of the new members noted afterwards, “That wasn’t painful at all.” Certainly not. In fact, it is remarkably simple to join a Presbyterian Church. Though we Presbyterians are sometimes harangued for our complex theology, to join a Presbyterian Church one just affirms the three statements above—there’s no signing fee, no background check, no requirements whatsoever other than faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, renouncing evil, and intending to serve God in this place. (Of course, this is not to say following Jesus Christ is easy, but that’s for another column!)
After our new members confessed their faith, as a whole congregation we all confessed the faith of the Church using the words of the Apostles’ Creed. When we did so, we were being about as traditional as you can get in the church since as early as 180 A.D., candidates for membership in the Church have used the words of the Apostles’ Creed to state what they believe. We’ve reaffirmed those same words each Sunday since I’ve served here in Hallock.
During the remaining Sundays in Lent, however, we are going to try reciting another ancient creed, the Nicene Creed. The Nicene Creed is the most ecumenical creed around as its affirmed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and most Protestant churches. Yes, I know, it’s a tad longer than the Apostles’—but just be glad it’s not The Second Helvetic Confession that’s a whopping 30 chapters!
As we journey through Lent together, we now do so with five new (well, “officially” new members of our congregation). As we continue to welcome them, may we all affirm our faith with energy, thoughtfulness, and courage.
Live Blogging Presbytery of Northern Plains 99th Stated Meeting
the following is a bullet by bullet account of the Presbytery of Northern Plains meeting Feb 5-6.
- the meeting has been called to order; the host congregation has welcomed us to First Pres Grand Forks
- agenda change: presentation by Presbyterian Clearwater Forest tomorrow
- silent auction for Chogoria Partnership Ministry Team, our partners in Africa
- Report by Interim Executive Presbyter, Steve Minnema –> really pushing upcoming CLP training event on Presbyterian stuff. Also good for non-PC(USA) folk serving our churches
- fascinating: First Pres of Colgate granted permission to dispose of old building in any way they can. valued at $0. no discussion. property in these parts is very different than others.
- over $6,000 given to Haiti relief in memory of former EP, Arabella Meadows-Rogers
- wow, love this. several churches owe the presbytery on loans. e.g. First Pres Minot borrowed $1500 in…the year 1913!
- discussion on-going about churches withholding per capita. 2009 total is $55,000 or so. not good, not bad comparatively? the big question seems to be why people are withholding, or do they just not have the ability to pay? [wow, i just asked if we knew why any were withholding. nobody knew any reasons. we're working on it, which is dandy.]
- Council Report–lots of changes to bylaws and junk. just approved putting a lot more presbytery info — manual and such — online. passed. cool.
- Beginning Planning/Visioning Process led by our interim EP. Title: Renewing Our Vision/Discerning our Priorities. Our vision, btw, is to be: “A vibrant, informed, Presbyterian community which nourishes ministry and joins in Christ’s mission.” / starting w/ scripture — good idea, steve
Renewing Our Vision/Discerning our Priorities process:
- beginning questions: what tempts you to lose heart and what helps you not lose heart?
- four speakers presenting statements on our presbytery vision statement.
- small groups with discussion. someone says specifically that we do not nurture well. i totally agree — have had very little support from presbytery so far
- nice break w/ really tasty cookies and fruit. thanks FPC Grand Forks!
- priorities in this order: 1) discern priorities, 2) utilize gifts, 3) re-organize presbytery and all the time 4) engage congregations in the process.
- shout out to technology and how there’s a need for educating our leaders as to how to use it for mission
- some great small group discussion and good visioning; people really seem to want to work together and study with one another rather than presbytery just being about procedure
- gotta take off early before discussion of overture; update tomorrow…
Sat Morning Session:
- Prior to gavel at 8:30 a.m. I’ve had lots of curious comments about technology this meeting. there seems to be a huge interest by presbyters in how they might use it in their churches. there’s lots of challenges re access, but it’s also a hopeful sign i think. overall, the meeting yesterday allowed us some really good discussion and planning in small groups. hopes the positive vibe continues today.
- starting 10 mins late — glad to see that it’s not just the meetings I run in Hallock
- agenda time for free for all sharing of “good news”
- Doug Kelly from the Board of Pensions is making a report; our plan is still 100% funded which is pretty crazy good compared to what’s going on out there.
- announcement that the overture on Genetically Engineered Food failed last night
- COM moves that Trained Lay Pastors be given voice at all presbytery meetings (can’t be given vote as well, though some had hoped.)
- COM report approved; my pet peeve — how we introduce new pastors who are called to the presbytery. i wish we could have a bio and faith statement in the packet, plus an email announcement before. a new pastor joined the presbytery since last meeting and we know nothing about him, our new presbyter Rick Kargard
- Committee on Prep for Min report: Paul an inquirer is up to become a candidate; great statement on his call to ministry! taking some questions on his call journey and experience at Dubuque Seminary. nice break to talk about the PC(USA) call process and breaking down of the steps towards ordained ministry. thanks madam moderator for slowing us down in a really helpful way. passed. congrats Doug.
- Committee on Nominations report: several nominated and elected to COM, and Comm on Nom, Clearwater Forest Board slot not quite filled yet
- Presbyterian Clearwater Forest report. lots of cool camp pictures of life without snow. the adult sea kayak camps on lake superior look really cool. lots of great opportunities for youth, and even a Grands Camp for seniors. awesome lake opportunities, high ropes course, great stuff. Awesome: they have a building called The Hermitage that is free for church workers to use as a personal retreat. sounds awesome.
- Self Development of People report. Doing some great stuff w/ grants for the Immigrant Development Center in Fargo-Moorehead (w/ growing immigrant community). Powerful speaker on the projects–gardening for sustainability, entrepreneurs training, business idea support project. presentation of $15K grant to this project from national office, I think. [Wow, I'm sort of a PCUSA junkie but have never heard of Self Development of People and its national projects. curious.]
- plug for General Assembly 219 in Minneapolis. Want us to be volunteers and, if do so officially, you seem to work for 2 hours a day then get a name tag and several other perks. curious. hope the GA website gets some major work. a little quirky at the moment. oh, and what’s the hashtag for GA219?
- report from Chogoria Partnership Ministry Team — hoping to bring six from the Chogoria presbytery (that’s in Kenya, btw) to visit our presbytery in the fall, planning “major cooperative mission project” for the poorest in the Chogoria area in 2011. good hopeful report.
- Youth Connection Report: Spring Youth Retreat April 9-11, Triennium July 19-26 hoping for 2 youth from each congregation.
- dun dun dun: Belfield Church has been closed as of Dec 20, 2009. Sadness, but looks like they made some really generous financial decisions. we voted to dismiss the closing commission, but i wonder if we needed to do so. Doesn’t a commission just automatically disappear after its work is done? As opposed to a committee?
- Synod Report: gave $14K of synod peacemaking offering funds to water pump project in Haiti.
- closing worship service and installation of new officers. ahead of schedule! adjourn w/ worship and such.
A Different Sort of Call Story
Deacon training is done. Elder training will be on-going. Both Elders and Deacons are now ordained and installed.
I used ThePresbyterianLeader.com resources for Deacon training to a good result. The curriculum is cool because it comes in two parts — Leaders Guide and Participants Handout. The Participants Handout comes as a .pdf, and can be emailed to new deacons so they read up before a training session. The Leaders Guide is just for the leader, and has many good exercise suggestions that are adaptable to any group. Definitely check out The Presbyterian Leader.
The nominations, training, and ordination process of elders and deacons got me to thinking on the nature of the call process for officers in the Presbyterian church. For instance, I have recently finished around a five year ordination process. Along the way, I probably shared my “call story” twenty times formally, and many more times informally. But — and I’m just being honest here — the call process for elders and deacons in my congregation felt a little more like arm-twisting than any holy call or anything. Totally, God works through arm-twisting, but I’m struck at the huge differences between the call processes.
This leads me to reflect upon the decline of the eldership in the Presbyterian church overall. I don’t have much time here, and I’m mostly just dangerously guessing and generalizing, but 
… my impression is that the office of elder, historically, carried much more weight than it does now. I’m guessing elders used to see their service as elders in a very different sense than a community board, and now many see their positions as more plain governance than spiritual leadership? Maybe I’m way off here, I hope I am. But if I’m not, I wonder how to reclaim that traditional role. I wonder what pastors can do to lead elders into a new sense of call. I wonder how to make session meetings feel less like board meetings.
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