The assembly hummed along Wednesday at a nice clip, meeting in plenary sessions and working its way through several committee reports decently and in order. This post is somewhat decent and not particularly orderly, much like the state of my foggy mind. So, contemplate this:
–As Presbyterians we debate – whether it be heated or not – in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. When the temperature heats up, I’m reminded of what a wise stated clerk taught me years ago. Essential to the way we conduct ourselves is the principal of minority voice and majority rule. So even if the debate drags on and the outcome of the question before us seems clear in one’s mind, it’s important to assure that everyone has an opportunity to speak one’s mind. Even and especially those who are in the minority need an opportunity to argue their position. At the end of the day, the majority rules, but the beauty of the process is that everyone, no matter the popularity of their position, has ample opportunity in which to speak. It makes me think of the line in A Brief Statement of Faith that claims the Spirit gives us courage to, among other things, “hear the voices of people long silenced.”
–The Exhibit Hall permanently closed this evening and exhibitors packed up. The closing occurs earlier in the week than at some previous assemblies, but it’s perhaps more humane to those poor folks who spend their waking hours staffing 8×8 booths in the enormous windowless climate-controlled new-carpet-smell hall. Thousands enjoyed learning about our denomination and related entities by stopping by booths over the past few days – ample time to enjoy the hall if one tried.
–The proposed new Form of Government passed the assembly by about a 2-1 margin. This FOG is a hugely important proposed revision to the PC(USA) constitution (for more information, see the main page of the Outlook website). Several observations strike me.
1. Though the GA Form of Government Committee made around thirty amendments to the FOG as submitted by the Form of Government Task Force, few of those amendments were discussed on the floor.
2. The assembly did not approve any additional amendments to the version of the FOG that came out of the Form of Government Committee.
3. Both point 1 and 2 show a HUGE trust by the assembly for the work of the committee, hard work over the past few days – yes – but work by a relatively small number of commissioners and advisory delegates nonetheless. Yes it’s difficult, from the floor of the assembly, to amend a 40+ page document. But, on the other hand, assemblies do it all the time. Perhaps this indicates that this assembly will show a high degree of trust for the committee work as it moves forward.
4. A number of commissioners noted that they first arrived at GA skeptical of the new FOG and, once they contemplated it more carefully, came to understand the FOG as a positive change for the church. So the question for the church becomes: how do presbyteries that will now vote on the new FOG contemplate it fully?
–Exhibit Hall workers gave out hundreds of fun freebies. Some even held drawings for larger prizes such as books, T-shirts, curriculum, regulation ultimate Frisbees (a pretty awesome prize from Union Presbyterian Seminary), and even an iPod touch (won by yours truly, in fact, through a random drawing by (https://pokayokedesign.net). I do wonder, however, about faithful stewardship and the preponderance of cheap mass-produced trinkets often given away by exhibitors.
–The assembly also passed a recommendation to add The Belhar Confession to our Book of Confessions. Commissioners argued many points for and against this decision, but nobody said what I’ve wondered for the past few years: we’re adding confessions in the 20th and 21st centuries at a fast rate which, if we continue, will lead us to a Book of Confessions several inches thick. What about the trees, people?!
–Watching the Twitter feed of the proceedings proved quite enjoyable. While @edunny had an amusing plea for help in her real-time “plenary bingo” game, the award for tonight’s most interesting/amusing observation goes to @brc_live who tweeted while Landon Whitsitt was moderating: “How do you know an ‘emergent’ is moderating? When they ask, ‘Is there any conversation?’”
by Adam Copeland, Outlook Blogger
