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Tuesday, Day 4: Committees Continue Meeting

June 12, 2001

Only two of the Assembly Committees are still deliberating and acting this afternoon: Peace, Unity and Purity Committee and Ordination Standards. My observation has been that both Committees were in an awkward dance of trying to move toward an action. The dance seemed like they were working hard to avoid making a decision. The ticking of the clock and the necessity of having reports ready, tonight, for duplication and distribution tomorrow after worship would push the Committees toward action. In both Committees it seemed that the Committee leadership could have been stronger.

The Peace, Unity and Purity Committee, it seems, will be recommending to the Assembly the appointment of a "task force" rather than a "commission." A task force was chosen so the membership of the group could include those not currently ordained as elders or ministers. The Committee got hung up a little in deciding on the scope of the task group. Would it include "pulse taking" at the congregational level, or would its reach be to presbyteries? My guess is that the Assembly will tinker with this recommendation and then pass it in some form.

The Ordination Standards Committee was very frustrating to observe. They dickered for about 75 minutes this morning in trying to figure out how they would proceed. They then spent the morning in a quasi-committee of the whole. This was done to free them from the constraints of Robert’s Rules of Order. It also made for some sloppy discussion. This afternoon the Committee finally voted to recommend to the Assembly an Amendment to G-6.0106a, to delete G- 6.0106b, and if those amendments are approved by the Assembly and later by the presbyteries, to issue a new "authoritative interpretation" which would make it clear that the authority for deciding who can be ordained and/or installed lies with the governing body closest to the position. This is frequently called "local option." This was voted out of the Committee with 31 for and 26 opposing.

It is anybody’s guess as to what the Assembly will do with these and all the other recommendations coming from the various Committees. My guess is that we could be in for some very tense debate on the floor of the Assembly and for a couple of long nights, especially Friday night.

My hotel window looks out on a park across the street from the Convention Center. In the park is a art display entitled Flocks of Finn. Finn is the last name of the artist. The art is a collection of strangely proportioned and painted fowl. There are chickens, ducks, birds, flamingos and things I can’t even identify. I was thinking that maybe this is a good art display to have out for the General Assembly. We really are a strange assortment of fowl. Some are strutting their stuff with colorful plumage and wild cries to attract other to them. Others are more demur, but none the less strange. Yet, as Jack Haberer states in his book GodViews, "We need each other."

It is amazing that anything at all comes out of the Assembly. There is too much business. An EP colleague says that any presbytery which sends an overture to the Assembly should also send an apology to the Assembly. Discussion, even in Committees, is time limited which makes it difficult to develop a rational argument. Another EP colleague said, "This is all built on the pretense of shallow debate and half baked decisions." While I sometimes share his cynicism, I also believe that Holy Spirit is at work. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give wisdom to the Assembly.