July 9, 2010 

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Grace Presbytery:

 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 You are receiving this letter as the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) comes to a close.  During this past week the General Assembly has been engaged in prayerful discernment as it has acted on the business it was asked to consider.  The numerous overtures and commissioner resolutions were carefully considered in the 19 committees Sunday through Wednesday, with Wednesday afternoon through the remaining days of the Assembly in plenary as the whole body acted on their recommendations.  As of the writing of this letter the General Assembly is still meeting and their actions being reported on www.pcusa.org as well as in a variety of other media - both religious press and secular press.  As is always the case, people react and respond in a variety of ways to the actions of the General Assembly.  As sisters and brothers called together in the Body of Christ we experience as the Presbyterian Church (USA), we are grateful for the passionate faith and commitment to Jesus Christ we share in common.

Our common faith and commitment to Jesus Christ binds us together as a denomination and as Grace Presbytery.  One of the many gifts we are privileged to share is the responsibility to humbly discern together the will of Christ for our church.  Several actions approved by the General Assembly this week will come before Grace Presbytery (and all presbyteries) as we join in discerning proposed changes to The Book of Confessions and the Book of Order.  Discernment involves prayer, study, reflection and conversation with one another.  Rest assured that as the Presbytery Council meets July 22 we will be making plans for our presbytery to be engaged in faithful discernment.  Conversations with one another and our commissioners, opportunities for study and reflection, and time spent together in prayer and worship will help us to not only participate faithfully in the necessary  discernment required of us as presbyters, but will give us an opportunity to strengthen our bonds with one another as disciples of Jesus Christ seeking to be faithful together.

There are many issues before General Assembly - as many as 900 items of business are to be transacted.  What the press picks up is often what will prompt the most discussion publicly and among Presbyterians, even if it is one of many issues.   Many actions taken this week have addressed our confessional positions, have asked us to stand in solidarity with Christians under persecution in many parts of the world, have addressed issues of our own polity, and many other important issues and concerns.  People of diverse opinion have found their commonality in Jesus Christ - just as we have, and will continue to do, in Grace Presbytery. 

Among the issues in the press which we know have been reported by our local papers are the issues related to marriage and civil unions, and ordination standards.  Specifically, presbyteries will be asked, among other issues, to consider amended language for G-6.0106b, as listed below.  It should be noted that the action of the General Assembly is somewhat different than what Associated Press reported in its article.

Final Text:

Shall G-6.0106b be amended by striking the current text and inserting new text in its place: [Text to be deleted is shown with a strike-through; text to be added or inserted is shown as italic.]

"b. Those who are called to office in the church are to lead a life in obedience to Scripture and in conformity to the historic confessional standards of the church. Among these standards is the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman (W-4.9001), or chastity in singleness. Persons refusing to repent of any self-acknowledged practice which the confessions call sin shall not be ordained and/or installed as deacons, elders, or ministers of the Word and Sacrament. Standards for ordained service reflect the church's desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000). The governing body responsible for ordination and/or installation (G.14.0240; G-14.0450) shall examine each candidate's calling, gifts, preparation, and suitability for the responsibilities of office. The examination shall include, but not be limited to, a determination of the candidate's ability and commitment to fulfill all requirements as expressed in the constitutional questions for ordination and installation (W-4.4003). Governing bodies shall be guided by Scripture and the confessions in applying standards to individual candidates."

For more information on the specific actions taken by the 219th General Assembly, we encourage you to visit www.pcusa.org and read official texts of actions taken.  Many other sources will provide selected portions of actions taken, often with interpretation.   While it can be good and helpful to read responses to actions from a variety of sources, it is important to read in their entirety the actual actions taken by the General Assembly.  As we come together over the next months we will have ample opportunity to then be engaged in informed dialogue together as we consider the actions of the 219th General Assembly.

We invite you to join us in prayer for our denomination and our presbytery. Prayers of thanksgiving for the gift of being called together by Jesus Christ, prayers for wisdom and humility as we discern together, prayers of hope as we move into our future together, and prayers of trust that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who alone is the Head of our Church, blesses us with all we need to be faithful together.  We look forward to our future conversations together.

God's Peace to You,

Rev. Dr. Janet M. DeVries, General Presbyter

Elder Connie M. Tubb, Stated Clerk

Rev. Michael Waschevski, Moderator

Elder Paul Williams, Moderator of Council

MINNEAPOLIS

To Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations:

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38)….

Just one week ago, the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) convened with Scripture and music and prayer. Commissioners and advisory delegates from every presbytery across the church gathered around the baptismal font with hopeful expectation of what God’s Spirit would do in and through them as they sought to discern together the mind of Christ for the PC(USA).

As the week progressed, prayer was a foundational part of each day’s deliberations and decisions, and the presence of the Spirit was palpable!

“Out of the believer’s heart…

While all assemblies are significant, this one holds particular significance in the life of the PC(USA). Among the assembly’s decisions – to be ratified by presbyteries – are the addition of the Belhar Confession to The Book of Confessions and a revised Form of Government. Both of these items give a clear signal that we are a church that is not afraid to change – an important perspective to have in these days of great change in the church and the world.

The assembly celebrated and was greatly encouraged by the commissioning of 122 young adult volunteers and 17 new mission workers for service around the globe. Commissioners voted unanimously to renew the call to “Grow Christ’s Church Deep and Wide” and were inspired by the stories of congregations that are growing in evangelism, discipleship, diversity, and servanthood. They celebrated the generosity of Presbyterians who have contributed more than $10.5 million to relief and redevelopment work in Haiti in the wake of January's devastating earthquake.

The assembly also engaged in discussion about significant matters of faith and life – ordination standards, justice and peace in the Middle East, and civil union and marriage, to name just a few.

Information on the more than 300 assembly actions is available. Answers to frequently asked questions about the items that have already garnered media attention are attached to this letter. We commend these resources to you for their accurate and straightforward information.

Civil Union and Marriage FAQ

Form of Government FAQ

Middle East Peacemaking FAQ

Middle Governing Body Commission FAQ

Ordination Standards FAQ

While the content of the assembly’s decisions is important, what may be of equal or greater importance is the manner in which commissioners and advisory delegates did their work. They debated, but did not fight. They tackled tough issues while refraining from tackling each other. They placed great value on finding common ground as they displayed gracious, mutual forbearance toward one another. They sought the will of God within their actions, rather than regarding their decisions as the will of God. One commissioner called the experience of seeking – and finding – common ground truly “miraculous.”

In short, this assembly exhibited to the whole church and, indeed, to our society and the world a way to engage in difficult issues while maintaining respect for one another. To put it another way, they exhibited well what it means for the church to “a provisional demonstration of what God intends for the world” (Book of Order, G-3.0200).

…shall flow rivers of living water.”

Just a few short hours ago, the 219th General Assembly ended in the same worshipful manner with which it began, as well as with a similar same sense of hopeful expectation that the hard work done in Minneapolis will continue forward across the church.

Michael East and Caroline Sherard, elected by their peers as co-moderators of the young adult advisory delegates to this assembly, shared their thoughts in a blog entry:

If all our commissioners and advisory delegates returned to their places of community and encouraged others to continue similar stories, what great things could be next for the PC(USA)?  These narratives have the ability to inspire discussions on new, creative, and innovative ways of being the Church. At the heart of being Presbyterian is the principal belief that our discernment is best done when we gather together. Being able to gather in one place, as one people, for the one Church is a powerful and transformative experience--one which dramatically shapes future generations.

The assembly has commended to the church a number of items for further study, out of which is hoped will come, as Michael and Caroline write, “new, creative, and innovative ways of being the Church.”

May the good and faithful work begun in Minneapolis truly be just the beginning of a season of respectful, earnest, and gracious engagement – both in our words and in our deeds – all for the sake of the gospel.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord,

Elder Cynthia Bolbach

Moderator, 219th General Assembly

The Rev. Gradye Parsons

Stated Clerk of the General Assembly

The Rev. Landon Whitsitt

Vice Moderator, 219th General Assembly 

Elder Linda Bryant Valentine

Executive Director, General Assembly Mission Council

Actions Regarding the Middle East

Questions and Answers

What did the Assembly do?

The General Assembly approved a comprehensive report on the Middle East – its first since 1997. The paper calls for:

 An immediate cessation of all violence, whether perpetrated by Israelis or Palestinians;

 The reaffirmation of Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation within secure and internationally recognized borders;

 The end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories;

 An immediate freeze on the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and on the Israeli acquisition of Palestinian land and buildings in East Jerusalem;

 And many other steps toward peace in the region.

The General Assembly also approved the report of the Mission Responsibility through Investment (MRTI) committee, which:

 Provides an update on all corporations that MRTI has engaged as a result of the 2004, 2006 and 2008 General Assemblies;

 Acknowledges that “Caterpillar has in many ways provided positive leadership to its community, its state, and the nation. It has donated considerable resources and equipment in support of local development and disaster relief at home and overseas. It has significantly improved workplace safety, acted aggressively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and pursued environmental conservation within its production processes. In recognition of these accomplishments, Caterpillar has been listed for seven consecutive years in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index”;

 Strongly denounces Caterpillar’s continued profit‐making from non‐peaceful uses of a number of its products on the basis of Christian principles and as a matter of social witness;

 Calls upon Caterpillar to carefully review its involvement in obstacles to a just and lasting peace in Israel‐ Palestine, and to take affirmative steps to end its complicity in the violation of human rights.

What does this mean?

Coming into the 219th General Assembly (2010), few thought that agreement on issues relating to the Middle East would be possible. Diverse perspectives divided Presbyterians from each other, and from the Jewish community. However, during the committee deliberations and again in the plenary session, through God’s grace, a place of broad consensus was found ‐‐ common ground for continued peacemaking work in Israel/Palestine. The General Assembly rejected immediate divestment from Caterpillar in favor of continued corporate engagement with Caterpillar and other companies profiting from the sale and use of their products for non‐peaceful purposes and/or the violation of human rights.

What’s next?

A Monitoring Group for the Middle East will be formed to assist the appropriate General Assembly Mission Council offices and the Middle East staff team in monitoring progress and guiding actions to ensure adequate implementation of policy directions approved by this General Assembly. MRTI will continue to engage Caterpillar, and other companies, in relation to particular actions whereby the company profits from “non‐peaceful action” of their products.

Where can I find out more?

http://www.pcusa.org/middleeastpeace

http://www.pcusa.org/mrti