Robins encourages PW gathering to “value diverse spiritualities”

LOUISVILLE -- Diversity is one of the daily themes of Presbyterian Women's 2006 Gathering, meeting July 7 to 11 in Kentucky. But how Christians -- who teach that faith in Jesus Christ is central to salvation -- should interact with those of other religious traditions is not something on which all Presbyterians agree.

Kikanza Nuri Robins, a Presbyterian minister from California, https://www.kikanzanurirobins.com spoke from her own personal experience during the morning plenary session on July 8 -- and she encouraged the 3,000 women at this gathering to bring to the table those from other religious traditions and to value diverse spiritualities.

Robins, an organizational development consultant, is the author of the 2007-2008 Bible Study for Horizons on the gospel of Luke. She also has been a consultant to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s national staff on issues of cultural proficiency.

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Advisory Opinion: Discernment in Examining Bodies

Since the 217th General Assembly adopted the Authoritative Interpretation proposed by the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, the Stated Clerk's Office has been asked by many Presbyterians to issue an Advisory Opinion (Standing Rule M.2.b.2).

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Joan S. Gray elected Moderator of the 217th General Assembly

Joan Gray, a pastor from Atlanta, Ga., is the new moderator-elect of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). She was elected June 15 at the beginning of the 217^th PC(USA) General Assembly. She will serve a two-year term along with vice moderator-elect Robert Ervin Wilson of Huntsville, Ala.

Photo credit line(s) Presbyterian Outlook photo(s)

BIRMINGHAM -- The 217^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has elected as its moderator Joan S. Gray -- a pastor from Atlanta who spoke of God making a way "where there was no way" and said her experience ministering to congregations in conflict would help her build bridges in a deeply divided denomination.

Gray, 53, was elected on the third round of balloting, winning 307 votes, or 62 percent of the votes cast. She prevailed over three other candidates, all of them pastors: Deborah Block of Milwaukee, who earned 152 votes on the final ballot (31 percent); H. Timothy Halverson of Cape Coral, Fla., with 20 votes (4 percent); and Kerry Carson of Conrad, Iowa, with 19 votes (4 percent).

In the first round of balloting, Block drew the most votes -- 143 (28 percent), compared with 139 for Gray (28 percent), 113 for Halverson (22 percent), and 109 for Carson (22 percent).

Editorials

Asking the tough ethical questions

What purposes might we anticipate from the GA forming an authoritative interpretation making such giving obligatory? Baltimore Presbytery's overture 23 would fund the larger church's service without causing undue hardship to the presbyteries in the process. They are expected to send 100% of all per capita assessments for all their member churches, and, says the overture, that obligation should be met by the churches themselves. What else might we anticipate from such a ruling? Well, just the opposite is likely to happen.

Editorials

Rebuilding Community II

Last time in this space a discussion of the need for the rebuilding of community in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — at every level of corporate existence — was begun. As pointed out, the fabric of our community has been severely frayed by a combination of external and internal developments. If we are to be faithful to God’s call in the future, we must self-consciously begin to pray in earnest that the Holy Spirit will reconnect the sinews of our body, and we must take steps to support that work.

Voices

Ordination: One Certified Christian Educator’s journey

On October 1 2003, I wrote a letter to the Candidates Committee of the church I serve as a Director of Christian Education, and of which I am a member, inviting them to join me in a journey. It contained an application for enrollment as an inquirer in the preparation for ministry process in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the usual transcripts, one from an undergraduate school in Nova Scotia, Canada, and one from the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, now Union-PSCE. I had served in educational ministry for twenty-three years, nineteen of them as a Certified Christian Educator, and it was time.

It wasn't time to stop doing what I was doing, or to change my focus from educational ministry to another kind of ministry, or to be more than I am, or to be someone I'm not, or to "sell out" as someone suggested I was doing. It was time for me to again affirm that the call to educational ministry in the church is a call from God, a call accompanied by spiritual gifts, a call to ministry "understood not in terms of power but of service, after the manner of the servant ministry of Jesus Christ" (G-14.0103). It was time to invite my church, my presbytery and my denomination to explore the question of what to do with a Certified Christian Educator with a master's degree from an accredited theological institution who sought to be considered for ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.

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“A more excellent way:” TF Pre-assembly event June 15

BIRMINGHAM -- Consider it a last chance before the big event for the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to make its case.

The morning of June 15, just before the General Assembly was to open for business, about 300 Presbyterians gathered for a three-hour "pre-assembly event" -- a chance to meet the 20 members of the task force; to ask questions; to hear a last pitch.

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Middle East symposium precedes GA opening; urgency stressed

BIRMINGHAM -- Words of ecumenical understanding, reason, and balance from representatives of the three great faith groups of the Middle East challenged Presbyterians attend the pre-General Assembly "educational event" on the Middle East June 15.

A panel of speakers both presented their understandings of what is needed to address the problems in the Middle East--specifically between Palestinians and Israelis--and to respond to questions from the more than 200 persons attending.

Book Reviews

Summer reading list

Outlook Book Editor Randy Harris has asked several Presbyterians to select books for challenging and enjoyable reading during summer work and vacation times.

Voices

Educators: The other ordination issue

The question of ordination once again looms large on the horizon. For those of us who are Christian educators, our passionate focus rests on two overtures (12-01 and 12-02) that advocate for a fourth ordained office within the Presbyterian Church (U. S. A.) In this article I will (a) give historical and present reasons for a fourth ordained office; (b) summarize the similarities and differences between the two proposals.

Voices

Pentecost to Birmingham and beyond

Grey fog hangs heavy,

hovers,

like a decision that eludes grasp.

Rays of our burning star break through,

dispersing fog,

yet, like a direction that flits finality,

reveals but familiar banalities.

Around said star,

earth orbits and rotates,

and still we speak of sunrise and sunsets ...

routines in which, unchanged, we ever move.

Kairos, not chronos,

something new,

to scatter shibboleths.

So,

we wait,

uncomfortably together,

in a room too small,

trying to contain the damage,

until descends a Time,

a gift unmanaged ...

Peace, unity, purity.

Michael Nelms is pastor of The Yellow Frame Church in Fredon, N.J.

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Sparks awarded 2006 Ernest Trice Thompson Award

O. Benjamin Sparks III, pastor, ecumenist, dedicated Presbyterian scholar, is the recipient of the Ernest Trice Thompson Award. He received the honor June 15 in Birmingham, Ala. at the Outlook's dinner held in conjunction with the 217^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

He currently serves as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Va., where he has been pastor since 1982.

Ben with Jack Haberer (left), editor-in-chief of

The Presbyterian Outlook and (right)
William Stacy Johnson, Outlook Foundation Board chairman.

Correction

In the OUTLOOK issue for July 3, in the story "Sparks awarded 2006 Ernest Trice Thomson Award' recipient O. Benjamin Sparks recalls a discussion with Ernest Trice Thompson. One quotation from that story was inadvertently shortened. The last sentence should read: "This is a word to the church", Ben Sparks concluded, "at a time 'so full of peril and promise.'"

Voices

The Authoritative Interpretation of 1978 still requires ‘fidelity in marriage or chastity in singleness.’

There has been quite a bit of discussion about what the Authoritative Interpretation of the 217^th General Assembly (PUP as amended) really means for the Church. Soon our stated clerk, whose job it is to "preserve and defend the Constitution" of the church will issue an advisory opinion about what the Assembly did. His advisory opinion is important, because it will likely give sessions and presbyteries their first official word about whether, in his opinion, sexually active gays and lesbians may be ordained or installed. For now, the Office of the General Assembly has set up a page of FAQs where it asks the question, "Will gays and lesbians now be ordained," but it does not answer the question.

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June P. Bucy, treasurer, Shenandoah Presbytery died June 28

June P. Bucy, treasurer, Shenandoah Presbytery and elder, Massanutten Church, died on Wednesday, June 28, 2006, at her home at Massanetta Springs, Virginia. Her husband, the Rev. Dr. Ralph Bucy, and sons Tommy and Flynn were all with her at the time of her death. June was diagnosed with cancer in March and was under the care of hospice for several months.

A memorial service has been tentatively set for Saturday, July 8, 2006, 2:00pm, at Massanutten Church in Penn Laird, Va. No other information is available at this time, but further details will be given as they become available.

Your prayers are greatly appreciated for Ralph and for her family at this time of great loss.

Voices

Why Montreat matters

A few weeks ago I was discussing issues coming before the General Assembly with friends from around the country. We all agreed there were more than a few "hot topics" for the commissioners to debate. Someone brought up how amazed they were by the number of overtures petitioning the Assembly to keep the Montreat Historical Society open. There was laughter as he pointed out what an important issue it was.

I have to admit I was shocked. I thought everyone knew how special the Montreat Historical Society was, how much it meant, how important it was to inspire denominational loyalty. But I realized I was only one of two southerners in the conversation. The two of us began protesting that keeping open the Montreat Historical Society was indeed important, even crucial to the Presbyterian Church(U.S.A.). A friend then kindly said, "We don't get it. Please explain why this is important to the rest of the church. We want to understand the passion and the pain this decision is arousing." So I am writing this to try and convey why keeping the Montreat Historical Society open is important to so many people and to the future of the PC(USA).

Book Reviews

Ordination Standards: Biblical, Theological, and Scientific Perspectives

North Como Presbyterian Church, Roseville, Minnesota. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse, Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-595-34155-1. Pb., 588 pp., $46.95.

Congratulations to North Como Church for producing the most massive and comprehensive resource to date on the battle over ordination standards in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It is almost beyond comprehension that a congregational task force put together the massive, Ordination Standards: Biblical, Theological, and Scientific Perspectives. I am sure the process of working systematically through the many complex issues was rewarding for the Task Force and for the entire congregation. That their work is now available to the whole church is a gift, but it is a gift that must be received cautiously.

Book Reviews

Confessing Christ in the 21st Century

by Mark Douglas. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2005. ISBN 0-7425-1432-3. Pb., 262 pp., $27.95.

Years from now, people who take their Christian faith seriously will still be reading and reflecting upon this exceptional work. Mark Douglas has written a book that will surely stand the test of time. Confessing Christ in the 21st Century is one of those rare books that will stimulate discussion and challenge thought for generations to come. The larger hope, however, is that it will serve a useful purpose for us even now. Indeed it does.

Voices

Administration and sexual time bombs

The 2006 General Assembly will be remembered as the Assembly that debated two controversial issues. The first was raised in a petition entitled "A Voice for the Local Church." The petition gave expression to a widely shared concern of congregations that recent administrative changes had fundamentally altered the nature of the Kirk, that too much power had of late been transferred from the local church and Presbytery to a few people within the Central Administration.

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PC(USA) membership down, financial giving up

LOUISVILLE -- Membership in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) declined by more than 2 percent in 2005, but total giving to the church increased by more than 5 percent, topping $3 billion for the first time.

According to figures released June 2 by the Office of the General Assembly, PC(USA) "communicant" membership at the end of last year totaled 2,313,662 -- a decline of 48,474 or 2.05 percent from 2004. Including 318,291 baptized but not confirmed members and 466,889 inactive members, total PC(USA) membership stands at 3.1 million.

But Presbyterians are giving to the church at record levels. "Giving to the church is up substantially in every category and at every level of the church's life," noted General Assembly Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick in a prepared statement released with the statistical report.

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Presbyterians at GA face serious issues, identifying a way forward

Some people who've been around the block a few times have a sense the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) -- which lost 48,400 members in 2005, it was just announced -- may be in a time of transition.

There will be new leadership, perhaps a new approach for sorting out the disagreements over ordaining gays and lesbians. There are questions of how a mainline Protestant denomination, declining in influence, older and less diverse than the surrounding culture, can continue to be a voice worth listening to on issues ranging from immigration to Iraq.

There's a lot at stake in Birmingham, according to some Presbyterians. They were coming to Alabama full of both pent-up anxiety and hope -- and with a sense that this assembly could be critical in shaping the future direction of the PC(USA.)

To them, things feel a little different this time around.

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The Trinity

Editor's Note: Responding to the General Assembly Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity, these essays attempt to give voice to the center of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The essays seek a place where all sides can meet--without compromising the Gospel--and move forward together.

The Trinity is a fitting topic for this series. The early Christians faced a crisis concerning who Jesus Christ is in relation to God. Perceiving that the Gospel itself was at risk in this question, they redefined the moment in terms of the Trinity and rallied the whole Church around it, then and now. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) faces such a defining moment today. Perhaps now is a time to reaffirm the Trinity as the "summary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" (report to Birmingham GA, p. 3). This essay covers (1) the Biblical origins of the Trinity, the trinitarian affirmations about (2) Jesus Christ and (3) the Spirit, and (4) the interconnections among the three "persons."

Voices

Let us not lose our head

Because of our successful remedial complaint (Johnston et al vs. Heartland Presbytery) I have received mail from commissioners to this month's G.A asking my view on the current overture to make per capita payments mandatory. Here is my response.

If the proposal to force all churches to pay per capita is passed:

Voices

Customer Service 101 for churches

c. 2006 Religion News Service

Listen up, church leaders. This parable is for you.

Dell Computer Corp. is losing a repeat customer, because their process and data requirements overwhelmed my need to buy their product.

Last week I wanted to order a $39 USB memory key. Dell's Web site required me to locate a username and password (serving their purposes, not mine). Dell's toll-free number led me into a labyrinth of voice commands. A second toll-free number landed me with a live person who insisted on creating a "profile" for me. No, I said, I simply want to make a $39 purchase.

I persevered long enough to complete my purchase. But I will think twice before making another one. No business can afford to make purchasing its products this difficult.

Voices

Where is the church on Thursday and what is it doing?

I have a mischievous habit of asking pastors the question: "What's going on with your church on Thursday afternoon?" Their predictable answer is usually some equivalent of "nothing much."

That question was provoked by the chapter title in a book I read a few years ago, Where Is the Church on Thursday Afternoon? The response of most pastors is a predictable "Christendom" answer. After all, the church is about the clergy and about properly authorized services and sacraments and the custodial care of passive members. Responders think only of the "church gathered" for its meetings and assemblies, and under the supervision of the church's duly ordained leadership.

Voices

A prayer

Your Spirit, O Creator God,

your brooding, bright imagining Spirit,

is inviting us, cajoling us, entrancing, inducing,

yes, even seducing us, beyond life into creation,

into imagination, into all the shapes and hues,

the textures, postures, melodies of grace.

So let that flaming, flagrant Spirit

be afire now among us here.

Lift our imaginations through the laughter of the soul.

Restore to us our poetic vision,

that we may see this world anew

as your mighty work-in-progress,

that we may see ourselves as others see us,

that we may see you, the unseen God,

as the source and goal and heart of all delight.

Through these moments of welcoming,

of sustenance, of encouragement, mirth and wisdom,

move up, across, among us once again

with your Spirit of inspiration and of ecstasy.

We ask this in the name of the living Word,

that Word we seek and find and lose,

and then are found by.

Let us say . . . AMEN.

The Presbyterian Outlook

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