I you have read my earlier posts you know that I was a bit suprised at how quickly churches started departing the PC(USA) following the 217th GA just because of what the authoritative interpretation could mean.  This has led to a situation where the major polity and legal issue in front of the PC(USA) at this moment is the property trust clause.

Now it appears we have the first test of the possible relaxation of ordination standards.  This is not a real test involving a candidate.  Rather, two clergy and two elders have requested a called meeting of Sacramento Presbytery to act upon four resolutions stating that their Presbytery will not relax their standards.  The resolutions to be debated and acted upon are:

1. To promote the peace, unity, and purity of our presbytery, we resolve that the Sacramento Presbytery holds that all candidates for ordination, installation, and/or membership in this Presbytery shall comply with all standards for ordination set forth in the Constitution of the (PCUSA) (G-1.0500), or shall be ineligible for ordination, installation, and/or membership.

2. To promote the peace, unity, and purity of our presbytery, we resolve that the Sacramento Presbytery shall not receive into membership, nor recognize as a member, anyone who has been ordained or installed under a scruple (that is taking exception to any of the ordination standards as set forth in the Constitution of the (PCUSA) (G-1.0500)).

3. To promote the peace, unity, and purity of our presbytery, we resolve that the Sacramento Presbytery shall honor the protest of every congregation that chooses to exercise its right to withhold its per capita, therefore, only designated congregational per capita funds shall be used to fulfill presbytery per capita obligations, and presbytery per capita assessments shall not be increased to compensate for such protests.

4. To promote the peace, unity, and purity of our presbytery, we resolve that the Sacramento Presbytery shall take no action to enforce any general trust interest claimed against any property, real or personal, held by an individual congregation within the Sacramento Presbytery.

Like that property trust clause thrown in there at the end?

The meeting is Saturday September 9.  The full text of the call is online throught the Sacramento Presbytery web site.