Live blogging the Wednesday afternoon session… If you are following along live you will want to hit refresh periodically to reload the post. (And please excuse the typos as my fingers fly.) The commissioners now return from their days in committee to begin working as a plenary. The proposed docket for the rest of the Assembly has been posted by Bills and Overtures. There are three committee reports on the docket for this afternoon: Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, General Assembly Procedures and Confessions. While the report for Confessions is not posted yet there is intimation that there will be a minority report.

The house band is providing music for singing before the gavel

2:01 PM
The Assembly is called to order, and invited into prayer by a military chaplain. They break into their small groups for prayer. Then return to the whole group.

The Moderator calls on the Vice-Moderator to make a statement. Vice-Moderator McCabe talks about her confirmation and takes a moment to respond. “I am a pastor – that is what God calls me to be.” Talks about being a pastor and the difficulty of being a pastor in places where same-gender marriages are legal. Does not want situation to get in the way and is resigning as Vice-Moderator. Comes from the same pastoral concern that led her to officiate at the controversial ceremony.
“I care too much about this church and this Assembly to let this situation continue.”

[Thanks to Bruce Reyes Chow for posting Tara’s full statement]

Standing ovation

Moderator Presa makes his statement: Critical of the comments, attacks and rumors of polity maneuvers that swirled around the church. Talks about “living in the tension” whenever and where ever we are divided. “Will you join me in prayer.”

Moderator Pres put forward Teaching Elder Tom Trinidad as the new Vice-Moderator nominee. Will hear from him and vote tonight.

1001 Worshiping Communities Video – Coffee shop in Georgia

Ecumenical Partner Bishop McCoid bring greetings from the ELCA
“How do you assess the health of mainline churches today?” By member, money or faith?

Bills and Overtures Report – Approved 16 of 18 Commissioner Resolutions
Revised Docket approved
Minutes of first sessions posted

General Assembly Procedures
Giving an introduction to the Per Capita Budget
If all the committee recomendations are approved it would increase per capita by $0.18 in 2013 and $0.13 in 2014

Committee on Mission Coordination
Committee recommendations would add almost $1 million dollars to 2013 budget and $855K to the 2014 budget.

From the Stated Clerk – One nominee to the ACC has been challenged by a floor nomination. Nominations are still open for some committees.

Moderator describes consensus tool of colored cards – blue for agreement, orange for disagree, black for don’t know
First practice is on the Moderator’s choice of coconut water – sea of orange cards are raised

Report of the Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations – Committee 9

[Editor’s note – I keep checking for the report on Committee 18 – Confessions and it as yet not posted. This will be tight]

Consent agenda presented – four items presenting delegates to ecumenical bodies and discussions
Approved

Item 09-01 – Celebrating the 45th Anniversary of the Presbyterian-Reformed Church in Cuba
Approved on voice vote
Representatives from Cuba and Guatemala

Item 09-03 – Review of the World Council of Churches
Approved on voice vote
Stated Clerk of WCC addresses the Assembly

Item 09-07 – Recommendation Regarding Covenant to Adopt the Lund Principle
Approved on voice vote

Item 09-08 – Commissioners’ Resolution: On a Green Church Ecumenical Network
Approved on voice vote

Information Items
That concludes the report

Asked if they would like a 3 minute break there is a sea of blue cards…

Report of the Committee on General Assembly Procedures – Committee 3
Consent Agenda – Most apply to making Book of Order and Standing Rules consistent with the new Form of Government. Also the site of the 2018 GA and a Commissioners’ Resolution on a Code of Ethics
Consent Agenda passed on voice vote

Item 03-01 Regarding nominations from the floor
Passed on a Voice Vote

Item 03-02 – Allow presbyteries to forward only per capita received
Committee refers to COGA
Substitute motion to make it an option to have a per capita cap tied to presbytery budget
No amendments proposed to main motion or substitute motion
Some debate. ACC offers three arguments against including that it goes against the spirit of nFOG by specifying a number for the cap
Shall the substitute motion become the main motion? 33% yes – 67% no – 1% abstain
Voting on the main motion – 80% yes, 20% no, 1% abstain

Item 03-12 – Joint COGA/GAMC Budget Proposals
Recommendation 1 – No discussion – Approved on voice vote
Recommendation 2 – No discussion – Approved on voice vote
Recommendation 3 – No discussion – Approved on voice vote
Recommendation 4 – No discussion – Approved on voice vote
Recommendation 5 – No discussion – Approved on voice vote

Information items
That concluded the report

Three minute break, well, OK 2.5 minute break

4:03 Committee on Confessions of the Church – Committee 18
No consent agenda

Item 18-02 – Overture urging the church to set aside time to study the Book of Confessions
Overture advocate is also a commissioner and spoke to it.
Approved on voice vote

Item 18-03 – Report of the Special Committee on the Heidelberg Catechism
A member of the Special Committee speaks to their work, use of an existing translation and then the difficulties compiling the scriptural citations
Commissioner discussion – 1. Noted that the text is readable but not gender neutral (answer – faithfulness to the original German but new translation is better than current)
Approved on voice vote

Item 18-01 – Amend the Book of Confessions to include the Confession of Belhar
Committee moderator presents the item which the committee amended to include asking for additional funds to educate the church about the confession
The minority report is presented – Belhar is a wonderful and important document but they voted no. In the last cycle the presbyteries did not pass Belhar so instead of trying again send a pastoral letter urging its study along with all the confessions in the Book of Confessions.
No amendments to the main motion – declared perfected
No amendments to the substitute motion – declared perfected
Debate on the motions
“If there is anything in the Presbyterian church that is more ignored than the Book of Confessions it is pastoral letters.”
It is pretty much a debate about whether we do education before or after the committee works.
In financial terms – $50K is about $0.025 of per capita funds (but would that be over two years so $0.0125 per year?)
Commissioners asking questions and asking for experts’ input
The question is called and approved
Will the substitute motion become the main motion? Advisory delegates strongly no except ecumenical advisory delegates 75% yes
Commissioners – 38% yes – 61% no – 1% abstain
Main motion debate
Final vote – 59% yes, 40% no, 1% abstain

That concludes the report

Committee 17 – Theological Issues
Item 17-A – Award for Excellence in Theological Education
Recognition of the Rev. Dr. John B. Trotti for his lifetime achievement

Announcements
Closing Prayer
Assembly recessed until the evening session