The letter starts with a reminder that Abu-Akel first asked all commissioners to the Assembly in November not to sign the petition circulated by Alex Metherell, an elder and physician from Long Beach, Calif. He states that the reasons cited in the November letter are still valid, including:
o A General Assembly cannot interfere in an ongoing judicial process on the church courts.
o Any Book of Order changes recommended by an Assembly have to be voted on by all 173 presbyteries and there would probably be about one week between the special session of the 214th Assembly and the start of the 215th General Assembly.
o A constitutional amendment from the 214th Assembly could not be referred to the 215th Assembly.
o The special session “would expend valuable resources of time, energy and money that are desperately needed for the mission of Christ.”
Abu-Akel then defends his stance that it will take 120 days to call a special session into being.
“The practical reality is that the Constitution does not allow me to call a Special General Assembly sooner than 120 days from now. This constitutional provision, along with the process detailed in the following paragraph, would mean this Special General Assembly would take place literally less than ten days before the 215th General Assembly, scheduled to begin May 24 in Denver. I believe having two assemblies so close to each other would only create confusion in the church and diminish our greater witness to the world. I believe that this may not have been your intention when you signed the petition.”
He then outlines the process by which the Office of the General Assembly will verify the signatures on the petition. Presbytery stated clerks will be called to confirm signers’ status as commissioners to the 214th General Assembly. Then the OGA will call the individual signers and “verify your signature and willingness to call for a Special Assembly, to be held a week before the 215th General Assembly.
And then the letter concludes with the request to reconsider. The full text of the moderator’s letter:
January 14, 2003
To the Commissioners calling for a Special General Assembly
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
It was with a heavy heart that I received the petition from you today asking me to call a Special General Assembly. I wrote to you and the other commissioners in November imploring you not to sign this petition. I am making one last appeal to you in this letter to reconsider your decision.
The reasons I gave you in November are still valid. As the Advisory Committee on the Constitution repeatedly informed us at the 214th GA, a General Assembly (regular or called) cannot intervene in ongoing judicial process. Because of constitutional requirements in G.18.0301c. and d., any Book of Order changes recommended by a called assembly would have at most a week to be voted on by the 173 presbyteries. Similarly, because of G.18.0301a., constitutional amendments could not be referred to the 215th General Assembly. This Special General Assembly would expend valuable resources of time, energy, and money that are desperately needed for the mission of Christ. In the current economy, congregations and governing bodies are reducing their local programs and contributions to the work of the whole church.
The practical reality is that the Constitution does not allow me to call a Special General Assembly sooner than 120 days from now. This constitutional provision, along with the process detailed in the following paragraph, would mean this Special Called Assembly would take place literally less than ten days before the 215th General Assembly, scheduled to begin May 24 in Denver. I believe having two assemblies so close to each other would only create confusion in the church and diminish our greater witness to the world. I believe that this may not have been your intention when you signed the petition.
Very soon the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) will need to verify the signatures on the petition. The OGA will first contact your presbytery stated clerk to confirm your status as commissioner to the 214th General Assembly. Then the OGA will contact you by phone to verify your signature and willingness to call for a Special General Assembly, to be held the week before the 215th General Assembly.
I implore you in the name of Christ and for the good of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to reconsider your decision.
Peace/Salaam,
The Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel
Moderator of the 214th General Assembly (2002) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
