The election of the Moderator of the General Assembly is the highest in “high-drama” that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has.  The room was comfortably full.  A row of seats near me held the past Moderators in attendance. And the webcast was followed by people around the country, in spite of the time differences.

First, my sincere thanks to all four candidates for standing for Moderator.  This is an awkward position in our polity: campaigning for an office when the office is supposed to seek the candidate.  But all did it well, respectfully, and decently and in order.  There is an important value in having choices because in the discussion, debate, and thought about the selection we not only chose who will lead us, we air the topics that are on our hearts and help focus our thinking about these issues.  In this respect alone these four men have done a profound service to the denomination.

Second, my highest respect for Elder Roger Shoemaker and his stand for Moderator.  As the only elder in the group, including the Vice-moderator candidates, he made an important statement by being willing to take the time and commit himself to being willing to be elected to the office.  As I now see our biennial GA’s play out I am becoming more concerned that with a two year term of office we are pricing elders out of the market.  The first question that was asked last night was very profound.  The question, as reframed, was about how each candidate would balance the role of Moderator with their other professional and family responsibilities.  Bill and Bruce pretty much said that their churches have the depth that they could take time away from them for the term.  Carl had an interesting twist that in his specialized ministry his role as Moderator could actually enhance that ministry to allow him to work on it at a higher level.  Roger flatly replied “I don’t have a church.”  This reveals two things: the bias of our thoughts about Moderators being ministers, and the near necessity of elders needing to be retired to take on the position.  (Note: I am not saying that there was this bias in the question since the question was actually asked of Bruce and is very legitimate considering his church and family circumstances.  However, the question needed to be reframed because all candidate get to answer each question.)

What concerns me is that while this is a major commitment for any servant of the church to take on, as Bill and Bruce demonstrate, it is easier for a minister to go to their session and figure out a way to make it happen.  If I were to go to my employer and try to work something out it would have to involve a big chunk of vacation time.  I’m pushing the boundaries enough right now as Vice-moderator of a synod.  For most elders, serving as Moderator of the General Assembly is something that can only be reasonably considered in retirement, especially with a two year term.

And during the Q&A each candidate showed their style.  Bill was the master at answering questions and addressing it back to the person asking the question.  Carl was ever ready with one of his profound and moving experiences.  Roger was true to his straightforward and “down home” approach.  And Bruce was lively and humerous when appropriate and serious and profound when he needed to be.

The other thing that struck me last night was that Carl’s late wife Marsha was mentioned only once, briefly in his nominating speech.  I do owe everyone an apology because in retrospect I should have mentioned her passing last month in this blog but I never got to it.  While I was not expecting any significant mention to be made, none the less I was both impressed and intreagued that so little was said.  I will leave it at that, but belated condolances to you Carl, you have been in my prayers.

When last we met…
I signed off last night just after the election results were announced and Bruce declared the new Moderator.  Following that Bruce and all the members of his family were escorted on stage for the installation service.  One of the moving parts of the service was the prayer of installation that was lead by Bruce’s mother and his oldest daughter.  The cross and stole were passed and Bruce began following the script. (Yes folks, for all these formal occasions, and in fact any thing that can be scripted, there is a script.)  Then the outgoing Moderator and Vice-moderator were thanked and all the former Moderators in attendance came on stage to be recognized.

The one additional comment that I would make is that when Bruce came back into the room and at one other point the stage crew turned on all these wild disco or light show lights.  While the event should be celebrated, Bruce was installed in a worship service, I guess I feel the light show trivializes it, or at least makes it more like the person is seeking the office.  That’s my $0.02.

And in closing on this topic, Bruce has cited me as “painfully fair.”  Don’t expect that to change brother.

Now, on to some analysis.
In a previous post when I referred to Bruce as a “YAD magnet” I was half joking.  I did not realize how prophetic that was.  On the first vote Bruce got 61% of the YAD vote (107 out of 163 votes) with the remainder somewhat evenly spread across the other three candidates.  I did not get the exact numbers from the second ballot, but they were pretty much the same.  Yes, once again the YAD’s called it on the first ballot.

Talking with my son this was no surprise to him.  He said that the buzz among the YAD’s had been so much about Bruce that this outcome with them was totally expected.  Get ready for Moderator 2.0.

But the commissioners are what really count.  On the first ballot it was Mazza 102, Reyes-Chow 341, Shoemaker 14, and Teng 250.

One the second ballot it was Mazza 52, Reyes-Chow 390, Shoemaker 7, and Teng 255.

While I usually think that these things are complex, in this case I am fairly comfortable figuring the very similar numbers do reflect the actual shifts:  Mazza lost 50, Reyes-Chow gained 49; Shoemaker lost 7, Teng gained 5.  In the Q&A, particularly the questions on inclusivity, we saw that Mazza and Reyes-Chow favor ordination and Teng and Shoemaker do not.  Shifts between these candidates in these positions would be logical.

But does this mean we have 262 conservatives and 442 liberals with us this week?  No, there are so many factors in play here that I don’t think we can make that call.  I know that among the YADs there were multiple evangelicals who were comfortable enough with Bruce to vote for him.  I would expect the same among the commissioners.  Bruce brought a freshness, vitality, and humor to the Q&A, as well as an honestness, that I think there were many “slightly right” commissioners who were led to him.  And please don’t read this as a purely political statement.  I do believe that the Holy Spirit was working in the Assembly last night and Bruce is the man for this time.

Having just denied purely political thinking I will take the risk and look ahead to the Stated Clerk election.  From what I saw last night I’m thinking Gradye Parsons will be the sucessful candidate.  While I do know Gradye the best of the four, he does strike me as the one with the most freshness and vitality like Bruce showed.  If the same dynamic plays out that would favor Gradye on top of his experience in the system.  But I’ve been wrong before.  Stay tuned.