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Voices

Mission meeting: Time for change brings new opportunities

DALLAS -- It's not reasonable to expect a three-day meeting in Texas to spit out all the answers to how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ought to approach world mission. But the folks gathered here for a consultation on world mission Jan. 16-18 did have some pretty clear ideas about what's happening in the world that Presbyterians can't ignore -- changes sweeping the land, whether people have figured it out yet or not.

The bottom line: this is a time of tremendous change, in the PC(USA) and in the world. As Paul Pierson, a former missionary in Brazil and Portugal and senior professor of the history of mission and Latin American studies at Fuller Theological Seminary has written: "The changes in the worldwide church today are probably greater than those that took place during the sixteenth century Reformation. The transition today is analogous to the shift from the Jewish to the Gentile church in the first century."

How the PC(USA) responds, how well it adapts to change and how quickly, may go a long way in determining what it has to contribute in a pluralistic world.

"I think we're talking about something big" said Rick Ufford-Chase, a former General Assembly moderator and executive director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. "I think we're talking about something that's a 50-year shift" in how the denomination interacts with the world.

Voices

Surprises at the well

Often the task of exegesis is to rescue truth from familiarity. The story of Jesus and the woman at the well is known, but its amazing surprises often are overlooked. A few of them are particularly noteworthy.

1. Dominical mission: Go in need of those you hope to serve. On arriving at the well, the disciples set off to the nearby town to buy food. The story assumes that they took with them the soft leather bucket that was necessary equipment for any traveling band in the first century.

Voices

Doing church in a downturn

A worsening United States economy is  a huge challenge to churches. Church leaders need to prepare for it.

Even among loyal churchgoers, spiking gasoline prices, rising unemployment, unsellable houses, consumer indebtedness, sagging confidence in the future, and mounting rage over fair play in the marketplace test our constituents' willingness to support church as they know it.

Two of many examples: will Americans continue to contribute an average of $3,000 a year to their churches? Will they continue to subsidize out-of-the-way locations by driving 30 to 60 minutes at $10 to $20 a trip?

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Educators honor MacKichan-Walker

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. -- More than 1,000 Presbyterian church educators from the United States and Canada gathered here Feb. 13--16 for the annual Association of Presbyterian Church Educators conference.

         The four-day event culminated with a dinner honoring the educator of the year, two lifetime achievement award winners and five scholarship recipients.

         Joyce MacKichan-Walker, director of Christian education and minister of education at Nassau Church in Princeton, N.J., received the 2008 Associate of Presbyterian Church Educators (APCE) Educator of the Year award.

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Advocacy Days conference to explore meaning of security

LOUISVILLE -- Exploring new visions of security in homes, neighborhoods, and the world will be the focus of the sixth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference.

Scheduled for March 7-10 in Washington, D.C., the gathering will bring together religious advocates from around the world to learn about key issues and then lobby for them in the United States capital.

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Baptist gathering focuses on unity in diverse understandings, serving Christ

A gathering called "A Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant" brought together about 15,000 persons from 30 Baptist groups to Atlanta January 30 -- February 1. Church members, pastors, denominational leaders, and Baptists with names prominent in American life came together to find a new way forward after more than a decade of factional infighting and after racial and cultural divides dating from pre-Civil War times. The attendees represented 20 million Baptists in their respective unions and conventions.

It was organized by a group of church members led by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Mercer University President Bill Underwood. 

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Presbytery proposes overture to overturn PJC ruling on ordination prohibition

It didn't take long for the next bit of strategy to emerge.

         John Knox presbytery, responding to a recent decision of the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission, has passed an overture which, if approved, could allow candidates to state objections based on conscience to the sexual behavior standards of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

         On Feb. 11, the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) -- the highest court in the PC(USA) system -- issued a decision which said, in effect, that candidates for ordination must comply with those sexual behavior standards, even if they disagree in conscience with them. The PC(USA) requires that candidates for ordination or installation as minister, elder or deacon practice fidelity if they are married or chastity if they are single.

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Guest Commentary: Court scraps scruples on G-6.0106b; Constitutional amendments still needed

The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (GAPJC) unanimously rendered three court decisions on Feb. 11, 2008 (released Feb. 13) that initial commentators on all sides of the theological divide believe make it impossible to ordain candidates who refuse to comply with the requirement in G-6.0106b to limit sexual relations to "the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman ... or chastity in singleness."[i] The main GAPJC decision is Remedial Case 218-10, Bush, et al. vs. the Presbytery of Pittsburgh. [ii]

In my first half dozen or so readings of these decisions I was much less certain that the GAPJC had prohibited absolutely the ordination of those found to be in noncompliance with the "fidelity and chastity" requirement in G-6.0106b. I wrote an article that I showed around to renewal leaders that argued strongly that we should not "jump the gun" by assuming this to be the case. I had come to the conclusion that the GAPJC had very possibly prohibited only a "permission to depart" from the specific sexuality standard in G-6.0106b but not the actual ordination of those who so departed. I had begun to think it possible that the GAPJC had arrived at this splitting of hairs by making the tired and misleading distinction between (1) "standards" that remain "binding" and from which departures are not "permitted" on the one hand and (2) "essentials of Reformed faith and polity" from which alone departures would constitute a necessary "bar to ordination and/or installation."

Voices

Guest Commentary: Thoughts on the Judicial Commission’s decision on Bush

On February 11, the General Assembly Presbyterian Judicial Commission issued a pair of decisions addressing questions about the Authoritative Interpretation of G-6.0108 that was adopted by the 217th General Assembly in 2006.  These decisions have important implications in the life of the church, and have already generated many questions.

         The case of Buescher v. Presbytery of Olympia (Remedial Case 218-09) arose when Olympia Presbytery adopted a policy that "any violation of a mandate of the Book of Order (2005-2007) constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of reformed polity and thus presents a bar to ordination and installation." 

         The GAPJC held that this policy was unconstitutional. In doing so, it strongly affirmed several core principles of G-6.0108 and the 2006 Authoritative Interpretation:

Outlook Reporting

“Dr. Mac: “A tribute to Donald Macleod

Dr. Donald Macleod served as a mentor and friend when I began studies at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1969. This Scottish Presbyterian revered Psalm 100 as an international anthem of God's gracious friendship towards humankind. Its crescendo rises at the grand finale of praise: For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to the end of the ages.

When Donald Macleod stood by you, a student in his class knew this professor seldom fell away as a fair-weather friend. . We saw ourselves as "Macleod's Men," though the language may be sexist, it's how we described ourselves on campus when few women studied for ministry. He received telephone contacts from a myriad of Search Committees looking to fill their pulpits. When "Dr. Mac" extolled the strengths of one of his "men," Pastoral Search Committees seemingly treated Macleod's inventory of candidates as the very voice of the Lord.

Editorials

Absolutes, standards, and exceptions

As a teenager in the 1970s, I was committed to following Jesus wherever he would lead. My spiritual mentors -- Christian businessmen -- directed me to follow the narrow way. They organized Bible study groups, taught spiritual disciplines, promoted moral purity, and championed absolutes. I followed their lead.

But, I also found their promotion of absolutes somewhat confusing. For example, as my parents' marriage unraveled, the mentors equated divorce with the unforgivable sin. Then our pastor separated from his wife. They not only fired him, they excommunicated him -- condemning him to eternal torment. The absolutes had to be maintained.

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Founder of homeless ministry is third candidate for GA moderator

LOUISVILLE -- Carl Mazza, the founder and leader of "Meeting Ground," a community-based ministry with the homeless and other marginalized people in Elkton, Md., is the third announced candidate to stand for moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008), next summer in San Jose, Calif.

Mazza was endorsed on Jan. 18 by New Castle Presbytery, based in Newark, Del.

Mazza, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, founded Meeting Ground in 1981. It now encompasses two shelters, one for women and one for men; a transitional house; and a rural residential facility for men, women and children. Meeting Ground also operates a care program for children and youth and a church-based winter shelter program that rotates among area churches.

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T.F. Torrance collection donated to Princeton Seminary

Princeton, N.J. -- The family of theologian and professor Thomas F. Torrance (1913--2007) has donated his books, personal papers, and manuscripts to the special collections of the Princeton Theological Seminary Libraries.

He was a frequent visitor to the seminary campus and also acted as an informal advisor and confidant to several of its presidents. His younger son, Iain R. Torrance, became Princeton Seminary's sixth president in 2004.

Voices

Ten minutes with Charles “Chuck” Burge

On January 7, Charles F. "Chuck" Burge began service as executive director of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, which publishes The Layman newspaper, the Layman Online, and Reformation Press books. 

He succeeds Parker Williamson, who retired as chief executive officer on Dec. 31, 2005. 

Burge worked with D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Ministries for the past ten years, including serving as interim executive vice president.  Coral Ridge ministries is based at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. CRPC is in the Presbyterian Church in America, a denomination that split off the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. in 1973. Prior to his move to Lenoir, N.C., to assume his new post, Burge served on the session of the CRPC and was a certified trainer in the church's Evangelism Explosion program.

Voices

Eating, praying, loving with Elizabeth Gilbert

Something was different. It might have been that this service was happening on a Friday night instead of a Sunday morning, but that was not quite it. The church was uncharacteristically packed, but that was not it, either. That about 99 percent of its occupants were women might have been part of what seemed so unusual in that sanctuary. But more than anything what was palpably, noticeably different in this northeastern mainline United Church of Christ cathedral was the sense of anticipation, of expectancy and maybe even downright excitement at what was about to transpire.

Voices

Debriefing

So I showed them things.

Not much that was spectacular, in fact,

more the usual, ordinary stuff

like wild flowers, birds and seeds,

Voices

Psalm 23 and Jesus

The Psalms contain a collection of metaphors for God that focuses on protection. These include: shield, high tower, fortress, high place, refuge, rock, and stronghold. These images use "homeland security" language. But in the Psalms there is also a minority point of view that describes God as "the good shepherd" (Psalm 23), the good woman (Psalm 131:1-2), and the good father (Psalm 68:5-6).

Book Reviews

Whatever Happened to Delight?

This book is certain both to challenge and to enrich our preaching. J. Barrie Shepherd is both a poet and a preacher and so it is not surprising that his writing is more intuitive than analytic and more metaphorical than argumentative.

Voices

New tools for Communications

In the "flat" world of Internet-centric communications, churches are a major beneficiary.

Powerful tools once reserved for well-heeled organizations are available at little or no cost to everyone, including churches struggling to control costs. All it takes is the imagination to see possibilities, the humility to try new ways, and the will to overcome resistance from those who distrust technology or fight any change.

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Guest Viewpoint: Issues for the church concerning the overture of Pittsburgh Presbytery on amending the Heidelberg Catechism

Part I of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Constitution, the Book of Confessions, is of particular interest to me. So I noted with attentiveness Pittsburgh Presbytery's overture to the 218th General Assembly to amend Part I of the Constitution of the PC(USA), the Book of Confessions, to, in the words of the overture, "restore The Heidelberg Catechism to an authentic and reliable English version of the historic document by replacing the 1962 translation, The Heidelberg Catechism, 1563-1963, 400th Anniversary Edition. Copyright 1962. United Church Press, with a translation that more faithfully renders the original text." In its rationale, the overture gives five examples of mistranslations of the original Heidelberg Catechism in the current PC(USA) Constitution. While each of these examples is interesting, many PC(USA) readers will be most interested in the fifth and last example, which concerns Q & A 87 in the Heidelberg Catechism having to do with "homosexual perversion."

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Kirkpatrick lists “Top 10 Issues” before next General Assembly

Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick's Preliminary Top 10 issues before the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

 

  1. A New Form of Government -- The Special Task Force was created by the 217th General Assembly to propose a revised polity that would be more flexible, more foundational and more appropriate for a missional Reformed Church in the 21st century. That Task Force will be bringing a revised Form of Government for adoption by the Assembly and recommendation to the presbyteries.
  2. Partnership in World Mission -- The 217th General Assembly called for a consultation between the GAC World Mission program and a variety of mission initiators in the PC(USA). The fruits of that consultation will be before the Assembly in a call for an "Expanding Partnership in God's Mission" that involves a wide variety of groups working together for the renewal of world mission.

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Number of mission workers dropping; Council to consider financial priorities

LOUISVILLE -- In just two short months, the General Assembly Council will be asked to vote upon a proposed budget for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for the next two years. And one difficult decision the council will have to make in April is how much to spend on international missionaries.

            The bottom line is: because the denomination does not have enough money, the number of mission co-workers serving the denomination overseas is dropping at what's been described as a "'precipitous pace."

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