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Domestic partner benefits study requested; medical plan review overtures referred to GAC

The 216th General Assembly voted Wednesday night to ask the Board of Pensions to explore the feasibility of offering domestic partner benefits to employees of the denomination — but stopped short of saying such benefits should be offered.

The action "is neutral, carrying neither approval nor disapproval," said John McFayden, vice chairman of the Committee on Pensions, Foundation and the Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program.

Foundation President Leech’s re-election confirmed

The 216th General Assembly Wednesday evening confirmed the re-election Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation president Robert Leech.

Leech was elected by foundation trustees to a second four-year term at their spring meeting.

Assembly narrowly approves continued support for new Messianic congregations

RICHMOND — The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has refused to stop funding new Messianic congregations, even though some Presbyterians described such congregations as deeply offensive to Jews and said they would hurt Presbyterian efforts to provide a Christian witness in a religiously pluralistic world.

But others argued that funding for Messianic congregations should continue as part of the Presbyterian commitment to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ around the globe.

Consideration of a new ‘social creed’ approved

The 216th General Assembly approved Wednesday afternoon a commissioners’ resolution asking the church to consider a 21st century social creed in light of current societal needs and the upcoming 100th anniversary of the 1908 Social Creed of the Churches.

Online commentary site resolution disapproved, but GAC asked to look at idea

With prolonged discussion of over two and one-half hours, the Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Institutions wrestled with Commissioner’s Resolution 08-16 to commit the "church to develop an online commentary to the Bible that would be accessible for free to anyone seeking to learn more about the Bible in order to hear the word of God more clearly and to obey more faithfully."

Support for Messianic congregation affirmed, but debate over Jewish-Presbyterian relations continues

RICHMOND, Va. — After the vote Tuesday, a rabbi described himself as "bitterly disappointed that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) seems to be turning back the clock 40 years."

Some General Assembly commissioners said that to tell the gospel of Jesus Christ to Pakistanis or Sudanese immigrants, but to refuse to tell it to Jews, would be racist or anti-Semitic.

Plan to promote and manage diversity approved

RICHMOND — The Assembly Committee on Mission Coordination and Budgets approved a sweeping plan to promote and manage diversity in the church on Tuesday — but with several changes that softened the impact of the initial report.

The 216th General Assembly will consider the plan, called "Creating a Climate for Change Within the Presbyterian Church USA," later this week.

Committee recommends overturning authoritative interpretations, but leaves ‘fidelity and chastity’ intact

RICHMOND, Va. — It would not remove the constitutional provision that church officers be faithful in heterosexual marriage or chaste in singleness — thus not officially opening ordination to sexually active homosexuals — but an Assembly committee late Tuesday afternoon approved a recommendation that the PC(USA) no longer use two 1970s authoritative statements to back up that law.

A Call for a Genuine Identity

The wonderfully evocative article by Leslie Scanlon ('Re-Forming Ministry’ project considers meaning of ‘one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church') fits nicely with the invitation on The Outlook's cover that we reflect, from the Reformed perspective, on the war in Iraq. It also lifts up one of the most effective projects in the Presbyterian Church: the Office of Theology and Worship, which, through the generosity of the Lilly Foundation, has been bringing pastor-theologians and academic theologians together for several years to think about how confession, Scripture and tradition inform, undergird, and challenge the practice of ministry.

Committee approves much-rewritten ‘families’ paper but rejects endorsement of marriage declaration

The National Issues committee on Monday approved "Transforming Families," a document — proposed at last year's 215th General Assembly but arduously rewritten over the last year — that sets church policy regarding the shifting nature of U.S. families. But it declined to endorse "A Christian Declaration of Marriage," an ecumenical statement that some commissioners said departs from Reformed teachings.

‘Tenets’ overture rejected by Assembly committee

An overture seeking to reorganize Book of Order sections G-2.0300, G-2.0400 and G-2.500 to clarify the essential tenets of the Reformed faith barely caused a ripple on the theological lake Monday before being rejected by an Assembly committee.

Most discussion on the overture from John Calvin Presbytery came during the open hearings of the Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Institutions. Seven people spoke against the overture, none for it.

Monday hearing starts latest round of ordination debate

RICHMOND, Va. — The latest round in the ongoing debate over the PC(USA)’s ordination standards began Monday afternoon with a two-hour public hearing before the Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry.

Almost 50 persons, alternating between those for or against the current crop of overtures designed to open ordained office to sexually active homosexuals, trooped to the microphone to deliver their two minutes of opinion. More had signed up for the hearing, so a lottery was held to determine who would speak.

The Trinity: God’s Love Overflowing

What’s in a name? A great deal.

The Trinity Working Group presented a 35-page theological paper on the Doctrine of the Trinity. The draft is presented to the church to "encourage fresh engagement with the fullness of the Doctrine of the Trinity." Already the Presbyterian Lay Committee, Presbyterians for Renewal and the Witherspoon Society are inviting comments. The Working Groups desires feedback, discussion and wants a genuinely useful paper that all kinds of people will read.

Committee says PC(USA) should distance itself from but not remove historic anti-Catholic statements

RICHMOND — Derogatory statements about the Catholic church found in some 16th- and 17th-century confessions and catechisms of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) do not reflect Presbyterian thinking today, and "are not applicable to current relationships" between Presbyterians and Catholics.

A policy statement to that effect has been approved by a General Assembly committee, which is recommending that such a caveat be placed in the preface to the Book of Confessions.

National Council of Churches recommended for continued support from PC(USA)

RICHMOND, Va. — Although the National Council of Churches of Christ certainly has its critics, a General Assembly committee is recommending that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) continue its support of the ecumenical agency.

The Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations considered a review of the NCCC and Church World Service, which works with impoverished and struggling people around the world.

Stated clerk’s race begins

RICHMOND, Va. — The race is officially on for stated clerk, and with a strong recommendation from the nominating committee, an enviable slate of endorsements, and a format widely considered to favor the incumbent, current stated clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick appears to be a strong frontrunner.

Andrews issues statement regarding jensen’s accusations

RICHMOND, Va. — Susan Andrews, moderator of the 215th General Assembly of the PC(USA), issued a statement Saturday evening regarding a disciplinary complaint filed by Reston, Va., attorney Paul Rolf Jensen earlier in the day.

Jensen, who has filed several dozen complaints against ministers nationally for either being sexually active homosexuals or allegedly participating in the ordination of homosexuals, says Andrews, pastor of Bradley Hills church, Bethesda, Md., acted in "willful and deliberate violation of her ordination vows" to be governed by the church’s polity and to further the peace, unit and purity of the church.

Almost 30 commissioners’ resolutions filed

RICHMOND ­ Some folks see commissioners’ resolutions as a way to get the concerns of ordinary people before the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ­ to see what’s on their hearts. This year, it’s everything from free trade to marriage to The Da Vinci Code.

Nearly 30 resolutions were filed by the Sunday deadline, and not surprisingly, several had to do with marriage and homosexuality.

Approximately 8,000 attend opening worship

RICHMOND, Va. — As about 8,000 Presbyterians streamed into the Richmond Coliseum Sunday morning, they passed concession stands advertising drinks, popcorn and hot dogs but found inside a secular space made sacred. Tables draped in red cloth formed the arms of a large cross that dominated the space, echoed by an enormous blue cross on the floor. In the center of the cross, other symbols of our faith — the baptismal font, pulpit and the communion table —were placed.

New Orleans minister named vice moderator

RICHMOND — Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase named Jean Marie Peacock, a fellow mission worker and former colleague in border ministry, vice moderator of the 216th General Assembly Sunday night.

Peacock, 43, is currently associate pastor at Lakeview church in New Orleans. "She has a heart for pastoral ministry and a special concern for small church redevelopment,'' Ufford-Chase said. "Jean Marie is as committed as I am to thoughtful and respectful dialogue that builds bridges across lines of disagreement."

Rick Ufford-Chase

RICHMOND — A 40-year-old elder who exhorted Presbyterians to "get in the boat with Jesus, to risk crossing borders and to go out into the world " — to scream with fear and joy as they take risks — was elected moderator of the 216th General Assembly.

Rick Ufford-Chase, the co-founder of the BorderLinks ministry along the United States-Mexican border, defeated two candidates — David McKechnie and K.C. Ptomey, both pastors of tall-steeple churches and more than 20 years his senior — who represented to some the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as it has been.

Pre-Assembly event highlights work of theological task force

RICHMOND, Va. — The Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity and Purity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) challenged Presbyterians to think about "doing church in a new way" — and to consider the possibility that unity is what God wants from the church, and that Jesus Christ is the source of that unity, even if the people in the church don’t get along.

Quiet prelude to 216th GA may be broken by commissioners with much to say

Some General Assemblies announce themselves well in advance. One would have to be truly asleep at the wheel not to know what the big headlines would be about in those years.

Other Assemblies, and this may be one, are more shy starting off — they’re not so quick to reveal their passions. There’s much in the news, and the 544 commissioners may show up with much on their minds.

The Home of Religious Freedom

Homecoming: a bittersweet word, connoting remembrance and celebration of things past and strengthening of bonds intended to stretch far into the future.

It is a word that applies in a sense to the 216th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be held in Richmond on June 26-July 3. For by convening in Virginia’s capital, Presbyterians will be returning to the birthplace of their religious freedom.