Byers, an elder from San Francisco, has led the Covenant Network in its efforts to change the ordination standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), to allow gays and lesbians full access to ordination in the church. The Covenant Network’s self-description is that it is working for a church “as generous and just as God’s grace.”
This winter and spring, the denomination’s 173 presbyteries will be voting on another proposal to eliminate from the PC(USA)’s Book of Order a requirement that those being ordained practice chastity if they are single or fidelity if they are married – making this the fourth time the denomination has been asked to make that change.
For that to happen, a majority of the presbyteries would need to vote “yes” on the proposal and Byers said she will work hard to try to make that happen.
Covenant Network also announced recently that it is joining with Presbyterians For Renewal, an evangelical group, to ask Presbyterians to join in a call to prayer for the church as its considers the proposal. And the groups are asking those participating in those deliberations to approach the discussions with humility, gentleness, and patience, “bearing with one another in love.”
Byers, an elder at Old First Presbyterian Church in San Francisco, graduated from Wellesley College and earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from San Francisco Theological Seminary in 2009.
The Covenant Network Board of Directors is convening a search team to consider applications for a new director for its organization, with the new leader to start work in the summer of 2011.
