June 20
With all of the business before us, and the
controversial nature of some of it, it is amazing that we have stayed
relatively on schedule. Today still has the potential to be a long one, with
Mid Councils, divestment, and who knows what else we still have to cover. But
I’ll take the respectful attitude that has brought us thus far for the rest of
the day, no matter how long it takes.
So…eight synods?....ten to twelve synods?...one
synod or no synods? Each of those was raised as a possibility this morning,
from overture, committee, or amendment. Ultimately the Mid Council Report
presented on the floor, amended from its original wording, a proposal for ten to twelve synods (one of these would prove to be the Boriquen Synod
of Puerto Rico). It was a prolonged debate, but finally the prevailing opinion,
78%-22%. Our own Synod of the Trinity (PA and parts of OH and WV) and the Synod
of the Northeast (NJ to the tip of Maine] have been in conversation for several
years, with leadership and commissioners attending one another’s meetings.
Whether that becomes a partnership to meet the demands of the GA action, I
can’t say.
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A little humor: a lengthy
minority report or amendment was presented, but was unavailable for
viewing. At one point, on the big screen where new wording is presented, the
following suddenly appeared: “We are still working on
it.”
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As some of you know, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore
Thee” is perhaps my favorite hymn, and certainly one identified for my Service
Witnessing to the Resurrection, though I hope it doesn’t come too soon. I’ve
recently heard the Presbybop Quartet play it twice, and now today, hearing
hundreds sing it…it is common enough to hear people say “I can die now.” I say
“Now I don’t have to die for a long time!”
The Mid Council Committee continued, a different
but similarly difficult issue came before us. There are three Hanmi Korean
Presbyteries, that is non-geographic presbyteries made up of Korean-speaking
congregations. There are over 250 Korean congregations, like our own Korean
Church of the Lehigh Valley, which are part of geographic presbyteries like
Lehigh. There are fewer than 175 Korean congregations that are part of these
three Korean- language presbyteries. Regrettably, the Western Hanmi Presbytery
has had a series of issues that have escalated not only to higher levels of the
church, but also the legal system, all the way to the US Supreme Court. While
passionate statements were made speaking to the value of common culture and
language in a Presbytery, the symptoms and stories of brokenness were
compelling, resulting in a 92%-8% vote of dissolution of the Western Hanmi
Presbytery; its churches will now be part of the geographic presbyteries in
which they reside.
After lunch, a primary spokesperson on behalf of
maintaining the Hanmi Presbytery addressed the Assembly, stating that despite
the differences of opinion and the sadness felt, he and those whom he
represents wanted to thank everyone for faithful way in which the was decision reached. The Assembly responded to his graciousness with a
standing ovation.
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We must have appeared to be tired…or someone
had just promised that the Young Adult Advisory Delegates would get their
chance to lead energizers…but folks were invited to stand up and get moving. As
I’m still recovering from PYT last year (#yeahJesus !) I was grateful to rise
in spirit if not body. In fact, the later into the week we go, the more my
spirit is getting up and the less my body! Keeping my eyes open and my head
upright seems to be exercise enough! A good reason not to be moderator or
vice-moderator: you HAVE to do these energizers!
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Very powerful preaching and speaking at this
Assembly overall, and again today. Luke Powery, Dean of
Chapel, Duke Divinity School preached on the baptism of Jesus, and in
particular, John the Baptist’s unusually aggressive approach and how it
attracted so many people, people who came not only to pray but to do, asking
“What would you have us do?” A self-identified “Bapto-Pentecostal,” it was a
rousing and prophetic message to all of us. Then after lunch, the Director of
the PCUSA Washington Office, J. Herbert Nelson, offered a prophetic message of
his own reminding us of God’s call on the church to stand for justice.
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Prayers abound, for
Mike Cole’s son, whose son is being treated in
Australia for an as-yet undiagnosed medical concern. Mike is the TP-type in a
Texas presbytery.
Rev. Alva, Peruvian Ecumenical Advisory Delegate,
whose wife died unexpectedly this morning. She was also a leader in the
Peruvian church.
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Boy, much of the time gained has been lost, as we
continue to tackle fossil fuel divestment. How much electricity did we use
during that debate?
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Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have
mercy. The Middle East Issues Committee is now before us.
I encourage you to visit www.PC-Biz.org for the results on these
complicated matters.
A series of amendments on both main (amended in
committee to include divestment) and substitute motion (no divestment) are
being made. While maintaining divestment as one of several actions, it feels
like these amendments, which have largely been accepted, are meant to soften
the hardness/harshness toward Israel and Jewish brothers and sisters. “This is
not about Israel, it is about American companies”; “we wish to maintain dialogue
with Jews, Muslims, and Palestinian Christians”; “maintain investments in
companies engaged in Middle East trade, but shift from the three targeted
companies to those seeking peaceful solutions.”
It took us hours. It took us to dinner, and then
after dinner. It took us through a minority report, amendments, all kinds of
polity gyrations. And finally, it was 51%-49% on an action that included many
things in addition to divestment, but all anyone is going to remember is
divestment, unless we work very hard to help them remember more than that.
"[1. Reaffirm Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation within secure and internationally recognized borders in accordance with the United Nations resolutions.]
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A new meaning to connectional church: a Mid Council
friend texted me during the close of the Middle East Issues report, suggesting
we pray for the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped last
week. He was unable to speak to the Assembly, but his thoughtfulness could be
communicated through me to the Assembly. If someone was to tell me how to vote,
I’d delete every message they sent without reading it. If someone is going to
ask me to pray, I’m going to pay attention.
Maybe it is a week of long nights and early
mornings, maybe it the business and emotional energy of the past days, but I am
petering out, and I’m not alone. A few more quick notes are all I have left in
me.
Good news for those with church to church partnerships
with Cuba. Go to PC-Biz and look to Committee 11, and/or contact YAAD Chris
Palmer, a member of that committee, through the Presbytery office
An overture on sexual
violence in the military was approved, and three Young Adult
Advisory Delegates were singled out for their particular efforts. Chris Palmer,
our YAAD who was on that committee, didn’t go into detail, but it was clear in
speaking with him that what they did was impressive.
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