At noon on Tuesday the numerous committees are in a variety of places. Asking around it looks like Christian Education will finish up early this afternoon. Health Issues has a few items to finish up and then it will get to its last item, single-payer health care. Like that is going to be finished any time soon. Mission Coordination and Budget is moving along and will probably finish at a reasonable time. But that has got to be ground-zero for the PC(USA) institution since almost all the top professional and elected members of the GAC are sitting in there. And church polity before lunch had just finished their open hearings on the definition of marriage and were beginning on the two items on equal rights for the families of same-gendered partners. Get the caffeine ready there as well.
I’m currently sitting in Form of Government revision, they are calling it nFOG in the committee, where they are SLOOOOOWLY moving to referring it back to the whole church for study and comment. There is a substitute motion that they have yet to perfect so I don’t know what that is about at the moment. The question they are laboring through at the moment, with an amendment to the amendment to the main motion, is trying to decide who will deal with the comments. It is of course whether it will be the original task force or if a new body who will figure out who the new body’s members will be. The amendment is in bold on the screen and the amendment is in red. They spent the morning deciding on how they were going to decide how to move forward.
The amendment just failed but another amendment to the amendment is now being moved. If there could be an amendment to the amendment to the amendment this committee would have it.
One of the YADs opened his question with “I haven’t seen the substitute motion in a very, very long time.”
More later as they dig themselves out of this.
Firstly, I confess I have a disdain for church politics. However, I do feel it is necessary to be informed so that I can judge for myself if my “church” is following Christ or wandering from the “narrow road”. I am grateful for PFR, New Wineskins and The Layman, as well as this site for providing me with “the other side of the story”. It has become painfully clear to me (and not much is clear when it comes to the PCUSA and the GA these days,) that the GA has become “worldly” in spite of warnings and the Truths of Scripture. I keep wondering when my own church will say “Enough!”, and “shake the dust from its shoes” as it leaves this crumbling city behind. It is not just one issue or controversy, although the media and liberal Presbyterians would have us think so, or focus on some of those individual issues; abortion, gay ordination, etc. The real issue is much more broad and often very insidious (sic. the evil one at work), as the denomination continues to follow others in recreating God in its own image. Thankfully, God does not change, no matter how hard man tries to change Him. I am truly grateful for His Sovereignty and Omniscience. I pray the GA will return to the faith of our fathers, but am ready to move on as our God leads. I understand many pastors and leaders desire to “stick it out”, and their concern for their families and livelihood, but . . .
I just can’t understand the “new way” that says I can’t love sinners without also tolerating sin (theirs and others.) I though Jesus was clear in his model of loving sinners (us), but hating sin (ours)?! I don’t want to tolerate sin in my own life (thoughts, words and deeds), nor in others or the world in general. I’m pretty sure that isn’t what Christ commanded me to, and I do desire to be obedient to His loving guidance. So, I guess I (and my church as it seeks to remain true to Scripture) will suffer castigation and persecution as bigots, etc., but I will continue to love, serve and engage other sinners while calling sin, sin, as God leads. And, if things keep heading the way they are in the GA, I expect to shake off the dust and move on to fertile ground inhabited by true believers. One can only stand the politically correct foolishness so long.
“I haven’t seen the substitute motion in a very, very long time.” That’s a great line… I’m going to remember that at Presbytery Thank you for the updates.
Alan