Detterman, Roberts point Gathering to possibilities and opportunities

These sentiments of trying to find a way to both be faithful to the truth of the Scriptures and to remain within the context of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), were expressed in the previous evening’s presentations as well. “This moment offers us tremendous possibilities and rich opportunities for the church,” said Mark Roberts, senior director and scholar-in-residence for Laity Lodge, Leakey, Texas, in his remarks on Monday evening. 

Roberts began by reading the opening paragraphs of the Book of Order. “I have come to understand that what I want is not all that important,” Roberts admitted. “All that really matters is what Jesus wants me to do, and if Jesus wants me to hang in there in the PC(USA), then that is where I am going to hang, and if he wants me to leave then I am going to kick the dust off my feet.” 

He reminded participants that no one can know the future shape of the PC(USA), but they can remain faithful to the call of God. He admitted that taking this position is to embrace a bit of uncertainty.  “I live with a bit of uncertainty, but I have complete certainty about who is my Lord,” Roberts concluded.

Paul Detterman, in his workshop, Evangelical and Reforming, seemed to take a similar stance. “We are absolutely committed to what needs to happen in presbyteries to reverse the actions of the General Assembly,” he said. “It is imperative that we are Christ’s ambassadors in the places where we have been planted.” 

Addressing the need for some way of moving forward in the midst of the current impasse, Detterman introduced the Presbyterians for Renewal four step plan: Where do we go from here? “Somebody has got to take a step,” explained Detterman, “and this is where we felt God literally calling us to be.”

Detterman urged his hearers to remember that the issues at hand are not like working on the merger between GM and Chrysler, but are “holy things.” He also warned against the tendency to caricature those in Louisville. “There are some who will say, ‘Good luck dealing with 100 Witherspoon Street because we know what they’re like,” Detterman commented. “No we don’t. We’ve got to stop talking about them,” he cautioned, noting that there are folks in Louisville, and also in the Covenant Network, who want to enter into conversation.

In a time of open questions one of the workshop participants asked to hear from Covenant Network’s Pam Byers, who was in attendance. “I don’t ever get to hear from the Covenant Network folks,” he acknowledged in his request.  As Byers walked up to the microphone she was greeted with a round of applause. “This is my 11th Coalition Gathering,” said Byers, “and I come because I always find things that are up-building to me personally.” In reference to an earlier question from the floor she said, “I am a Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christian who has seen these same traits in many gay people, I just have to testify to that.”

Other questions from the floor related to the idea of creating a 17th Synod that would allow presbyteries and congregations to align themselves with others who are sympathetic. “This would give us an entity where we could be distinct, but still in,” said Detterman in imagining this type of scenario.  Jin S. Kim, pastor of Church of All Nations in Minneapolis, then questioned whether or not this model would allow for the creation of an 18th Synod which would be GLBT friendly.  Detterman acknowledged that  possibility was an issue.

Detterman also responded to questions surrounding property, pensions and per capita. “We are suggesting that whether a session decides to give per capita or not, that they do it with integrity, take ownership of their spending, and explain to the congregation what they are doing and why,” he suggested.  In response to property he said, “We are working on it.”

“We are all here because we want to be used by God … whatever conclusions we come up with,” Detterman observed.