Friday, June 20
Since my first General Assembly back in 1992, the many and
diverse peoples that make up the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has made a great
impression on me. I believe it truly is a foretaste of the Kingdom to see the
faithful come from north and south and east and west to sit at this table of
worship and common ministry. By the time I reached Chicago
I saw a number of folks I knew on the way to San Jose,
and from Denver
on, conversation on the plane was full of references to presbyteries, committees,
and “do you know…?” It really is a blessing to rejoice with those who rejoice
in having been called to such a time as this.
But it also means a lot, perhaps more, to have others mourn
when we mourn. The news that an old friend had been murdered struck at my core,
but the fact that I grieved not as an individual but as a member of the body
meant, and continues to mean, a great deal to me. I learned of Mark’s death
from Phil Sanders, also a seminary classmate of Mark’s and mine. I knew if I
called Robin before boarding my flight that you would have been sent word
before I landed. Even as my thoughts and prayers were with Mark’s wife, Pam,
and their kids, they were also with those of his congregation, and as I read
the news reports, with congregations he previously served and who now grieve.
Before getting off the shuttle to the hotel I had already shared the news with
some Presbyterians I’d never met before. I saw his executive presbyter, and
could express my condolences and those of the Presbytery to her and all of West
Virginia Presbytery, and know that the whole Assembly would soon hear and share
the news back home. Truly we mourned with those who mourn.
The Spirit does intercede with sighs too deep for words
(Romans 8:26), and when sighs are all we can muster, even that
silent voice goes out into all
the earth, those unspoken words to the ends of the
world (Psalm 19:4). When Jesus said we would not be alone, it is not only his
Spirit who stands by us, but those whom that same Spirit moves to stand by us.
And this, too, points to the Kingdom which is to come. Thanks be to God.
God is all in all,
Steve
Saturday,
June 21
After yesterday, I wanted to share a joy with you. Last
night I joined about fifty people to celebrate the ministry of Joe Small. As
you may know, Joe is the coordinator for the Office of Theology and Worship, my
former boss, preacher at my installation, a theologian, writer, and man of the
church. I’m glad to say it was a celebration of work that continues, as our
emcee noted that Joe is neither retiring nor facing serious illness. It was
simply an opportunity to say thank you.
A number of my former colleagues secretly collaborated over
the past three years to create a volume of essays written in Joe’s honor
(called a festschrift), entitled Theology in
Service of the Church: Essays in Honor of Joseph D. Small 3rd (edited by Charles A.
Wiley). It was quite a challenge surprising Joe with this, having to enlist the
support of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation and Amazon books, and coming
up with a multitude of excuses as to why some things were mysteriously
happening the way they were.
It was a wonderful evening with many old friends and respected members
and friends of the church, and a time to honor someone of whom I think so much
personally and professionally.
One particularly special moment was a surprise to nearly all
of us. A letter written by one of Joe’s former professors was read, a man whom
Joe had long thought dead. From that letter we learned that as a young man Joe
had been accepted into the University of Virginia Law School, but was convinced
by this religious studies professor to take a year’s study at seminary. It has
been a great blessing upon me, and upon the PCUSA, that he did take that year
to focus on the church, and never left.
Thus far it has been pretty routine, going over the basics
of the Assembly, celebrating the many ministries of the PCUSA, catching up with
people from around the country and getting advice and insight on life together
as a presbytery and a denomination. I’ve seen just about everyone who is here
from Lehigh Presbytery, and so far all seems well. Tonight is the election of
the next moderator, always one of the main events. I’ll try to find the peanut
gallery with whom I usually sit, and we’ll try to guess who will be elected, on
what ballot, and by what percentage. Don’t worry, it’s not gambling—only our
pride is at stake!
God is all in all,
Steve
Sunday, June 22
As I’m sure many of you have heard by now, Bruce Reyes-Chow, a new church development (NCD)
pastor in California,
was elected moderator of the 218th General Assembly. All four
candidates were people of faith who I’m sure would have contributed much to the
denomination, but I do have to say that Rev. Reyes-Chow demonstrated a lot more
energy in the examination portion. I think that his relative youth as a
39-year-old, and his connection with youth as shown by the successful NCD of
Mission Bay Community Church (www.missionbaycc.org/)
contributed to his appeal, almost leading to a first-ballot election. (To read
more on the election go to www.pcusa.org/ga218/news/ga08017.htm
.) We’ll soon try to get on the schedule to have him at the Presbytery.
After the
election I saw many old friends and colleagues as I made my way back from the
convention center, and was soon caught up in the kind of banter and theological
discussion I hope to foster in the Presbytery. On the one hand it was fun to
laugh, but at the same we time got into some serious talks about the
moderatorial candidates and their strengths and weaknesses, and theological and
liturgical debate about the plan to have worship simultaneously in two places.
Can you have a service of Word and Sacrament when the Word is in one place and
the Sacrament is in another? This isn’t a matter of angels dancing on the head
of a pin, but a relevant question in the 21st century when webcams
are on the verge of enabling the new televangelists whose worship may be seen
on-demand hours after it actually occurred. Can we be together by the power of
the Holy Spirit when we are not together in the same place at the same time? We
say “yes” when it comes to prayer, but worship is a bird of a different
feather.
This morning we
were able to see how our questions of the night before took flesh. My friend
the liturgical scholar and I ended up in the closer of the two venues, the San Jose Civic Center.
We didn’t always know when what we were doing was being telecast in the other
site, but on the whole it was rather seamless. Outgoing Moderator Joan Gray
preached at “the other” service, but raced to our building to preside at the
Lord’s Table. As always, the singing of hymns with several thousand other
Presbyterians was a highlight, although there were half as many of us in each
of the buildings.
The rest of the
day was very low-key for all but the commissioners. While we all had the
opportunity to hear the speeches nominating the stated clerk, the first night
for the committees is really for the commissioners to get to know one another
and the task at hand. Others attended a variety of dinners, including the
Association of Executive Presbyters’ which I attended. It is a time to see old
friends and make new ones, which is nice enough in itself. But it is also a
time to meet with those who have knowledge and experience in things relevant to
life in Lehigh Presbytery, and to make plans with those of mutual interest. It
was a rich night.
As I haven’t
changed the clock on my laptop, however, I’m reminded of how the rich night has
turned into early morning California-time. Until next time,
Peace,
Steve
Monday, June 23
Grace to you all
and peace.
These middle days
of the Assembly are always a little odd to me. The commissioners are busy,
hearing from many advocates on a variety of issues from a multitude of angles.
I had hoped to have some pictures for you today, but I left a lot more messages
for folks than I actually got to speak with them. In several cases the
committee’s business was so popular I couldn’t even get in the room and had to
return later.
But while commissioners
are quite busy, those of us not on a committee or advocating a position have
plenty of time on our hands. Like many of my colleagues, I used this
opportunity to do the kind of face to face networking that generally is not
possible. In no particular order, I was able to speak with folks on COM issues,
camps and conferences, resource rooms, urban ministry, interim pastors, and
leadership issues. I saw Julia Thorne, the PCUSA immigration attorney who
visited with us last year, and Amy Mendez, the Hispanic Ministries Coordinator
from Denver Presbytery who spoke to our NCD care team by conference call not
too long ago.
It was, needless
to say, a full day. And tomorrow doesn’t look much different.
Peace,
Steve
Tuesday, June 24
Grace and peace!
A special day. It
began with attending the Hungryhearts
breakfast, sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Formation. Rather than a
speaker, it was a musical occasion. Our opening prayer was sung by Warren
Cooper, a tremendous singer who often performs with Bill Carter, formerly of
the Catasauqua Church. The “keynote” was a concert of
prayer by Mary Williams, a woman whose stunning gospel singing has been
accompanying Tim Tyson around the country. Tyson wrote Blood Done Sign My Name, the story of how a murder committed in his
hometown affected him and his young friends. Mary provides a living soundtrack
as Tyson tells his story. She sang so prayerfully, so personally. At one point
I was listening to her with my eyes closed when I became aware that she had
rested her hand on my shoulder as she sang. It was a very moving gesture.
As worshipful as
that was, when the breakfast ended there was still time to get to morning
worship. I walked in to hear the Taiko Drummers, Japanese youth who play these
large drums while dancing rhythmically. Simply stunning, and a wonderful
prelude to worship led by Church of All Nations, a Presbyterian congregation in
Minneapolis that is one of the most ethnically diverse churches of any kind in
the United States. The service was such an illustration of the way in which people
of different races can worship together. Jin S. Kim, the pastor of Church of All Nations,
then offered a word on racism in the United States that was humbling,
insightful, and prophetic. It challenged everyone in the sanctuary, and
included confession on behalf of Koreans for actions and attitudes toward
African-Americans. If there was any downside to it, it was that it was a
brilliant sociological talk, but not a sermon. I wanted to hear what God had to
say about a situation Rev. Kim described all too well, and how this word of
confession could be cracked open to become one of grace.
Between a series
of meetings and an afternoon of going from committee hearing to committee
hearing, I attended the Company of Pastors/Order of Elders luncheon, which like
the earlier Hungryhearts breakfast
was an event I once organized. The speaker was Michael Lindvall, pastor of the Brick Church
in Manhattan
and author of several acclaimed books. He spoke on how pastoral ministry is
tied to a specific people and place, and how if we cannot love that people and
place then it is time to go. He explored that through three images of the
pastorate, with some strengths perhaps, but in the case of the first two,
greater weaknesses.
First, pastor as
professional. He agrees that there is a sense of education and professionalism
in the ministry that is akin to a doctor or lawyer, but objects (quite rightly
in my opinion) that it is a mistake to make it a matter of a small group of
“experts” who knows more than the majority of Christians. This is the very
mindset that created the Protestant Reformation. Next, he looked at the idea of
the pastoral relationship as being a marriage. Yes, there is commitment, but
the ending of a pastorate is not a divorce. Finally, he raised an image that is
not without questions, but lifts up the central point he was trying to make:
that the relationship between pastor and church is like lover and beloved. In
this it is not a matter of seeing things simply as they are, but with a loving
eye that sees how things could be. What might be frustrating or bothersome is,
in the eyes of someone flush with love, an endearing quality, full of hopeful
possibility. That, Lindvall said, is the kind of relationship that should be
had between pastor and church: loving eyes that see a best that might not be
yet, but an eschatological (end times) reality that is to come. And it was good
food for thought for me, as I thought about Lehigh Presbytery, the good things
I see happening and the good things I
am confident will be happening.
* * *
On a sad note,
please remember Tillie Chase in your prayers, and the family of a pastor who
was killed in a car accident within the past few days. I only saw Tillie for a
few moments as she carried out her vice-moderator responsibilities and so I
didn’t get the person’s name, but it was someone with whom she was close enough
to offer the charge at his installation.
God is all in
all,
Steve
Wednesday, June 25
I admit it: I
really struggled to get out of bed this morning. A few too many late nights and
early mornings finally caught up with me. But as I thought about opening
worship, the Ecumenical Service, I anticipated a stirring time with Archbishop
Chacour of Galilee, a leading peacemaker and social force in Palestine. And I was not disappointed. He was
poignant and funny, telling us the words of comfort he has shared even as he challenged
our preconceptions and mindset. He
called us to not only pray for peace, but to be active instruments of it.
By then there was
a buzz about some of the decisions made by committees yesterday. To those for
or against, my comment was the same: the making of PCUSA policy is a matter of
making sausage, and there is a long way to go between the stuffing it and
packaging it. Don’t celebrate too much, don’t get too angry, because there is a
long way to go.
Today was the
seminary luncheons, often a highlight of the Assembly. Andrew Purves, one of my
favorite professors, was the keynote speaker, and he shared insights from the
book he is currently working on regarding the resurrection of ministry. He
talked about Jesus’ call for us to live joyful lives in ministry; make that
JOYful. It would be intriguing for us to consider some of the ways we might
heed this. I’m glad to say, however, that joy is not a foreign concept in our
life together.
In a decision
that will mean more to us in Lehigh Presbytery than to many around the country,
the Assembly confirmed the covenant partnership with the Moravian Church.
I’m pleased to say that we’ll be an entry point into this covenant for the
Synod of the Trinity this fall, as the Executive Presbyters’ Forum will be
meeting in Bethlehem,
with a Moravian history professor providing our leadership.
What will
probably stick with me the longest from today, however, was having dinner with
the Lehigh contingent. All of our commissioners and a number of folks who are
here for other reasons got together at Il
Fornaio, an Italian restaurant that was really quite good, and by San Jose standards,
reasonably priced. It was good to hear what folks have been up to, their
experiences thus far, and to have a chance to talk and laugh together.
One person who
wasn’t with us was Laurel Brundage. This was the night of the Multicultural
Dinner, and Laurel’s
hymn “Gather Nations, Gather Peoples” was the first-place winner of the
multicultural hymn contest. Congratulations, Laurel! To get more information
and a download of the hymn, go to http://www.pcusa.org/multicultural/2008-conference.htm
and scroll down a bit.
God is all in
all,
Steve
Thursday, June 26
To all the
Saints,
Grace to you all
and peace.
While I’m not
trying to keep you informed on the Assembly’s business here, there is one personal
item from this morning I do want to share with you. As of today I am
member-elect of the Mission Development Resource Committee, which makes policy
and funding decisions for new church developments and church transformation
efforts. As I approach the end of my third year with you, I’ve become more and
more aware of my need to be part of the greater church, the church that is
greater than my immediate field of vision.
As a church
member this need to be a part of the larger church was addressed in
congregational and presbytery committees and efforts that were available to me
(I wasn’t an elder, but there are still opportunities to participate). After
ordination to the ministry of Word and Sacrament this meant being a committee
member and chair in nearly every year of my pastorate. As a member of the
General Assembly, I was keen to get involved in ministries and actions in other
offices (which is why I enjoy GA so much: I get to see so many folks with whom
I used to work). And in a twist, “greater church” came to mean engagement with local
congregations that were not the congregation in which I worshipped.
In addition to
serving the larger church, my hope is that I will soon be in a better position
to help write and fine-tune Lehigh grants as they arise.
* * *
I’ve been
prompted by one commissioner’s comments to share with you the gratitude I have,
and hope you share, for those who have been elected by the Presbytery to
minister in this particular way. Being a GA commissioner is a lot of work, more
than those who have not attended may believe. The hours are long, the arguments
often complex, and faith can be stretched beyond comfort zones. Tillie Chase, Paul Ferrera, Sally Heimbach,
Dianne Kareha, and Paul Lucia have been active
participants both in committee and in the plenary sessions (when all of the
commissioners come together to vote). It has been said that we don’t learn by
experience but by reflecting on
experience. I look forward to hearing from them as they have had a chance to
consider all that has happened over the course of the week, but even now I am
so grateful for the spiritual maturity they’ve demonstrated.
Well, not always.
But what happens in San Jose stays in San Jose… J
* * *
Again, I’m not
writing this to tell you about decisions that have been made. Even so, I can’t
let this one from the Presbytery of San Joaquin pass:
Realizing
that worship is our response to God’s love for us and that we pray for God to
“put a new and right spirit within [us]” (Ps. 51:10), we invite each
congregation and presbytery of the PC(USA) to gather in times each sets aside
for spiritual renewal through intentional gatherings such as spiritual
assemblies, which may include personal and community worship, meditation,
confession, forgiveness, fasting, and prayer. Recognizing the biblical value of
solemn assemblies for spiritual renewal, we request the Office of Theology and
Worship to make available materials to include rich varieties of worship, Bible
study, prayer, Christian meditation, and other spiritual disciplines.
Given the things
that the Presbytery is and has been trying to do—regular Communion, Dwelling in
the Word, roundtable discussions, OASIS—and some of the conversations that have
been taking place, I hope that we might continue to be an incubator for this
spiritual renewal.
Peace,
Steve
Friday, June 27
As the longest
day of the Assembly gets underway people are already tired. Last night ended
around 11pm, and one of the last voices of the night belonged to Tillie Chase,
Vice-Moderator of the Committee to Review GA Permanent Committees (is there
anything more Presbyterian than a committee to review committees?). Now, nearly
twelve hours later, folks are moving a little more slowly. I join them in that,
as my family finally arrived near midnight, and as glad as I was to see them, I
think they were asleep before they hit the pillow. I, on the other hand, was
not. **Yawn**
I was careful not
to share my thoughts on the election of the stated clerk with the
commissioners, but now that it s over I feel free to say that I am pleased that
Gradye Parsons has received that call. I’ve known Gradye for about seven years
now, and believe him to be a very good choice, with a faithful heart, a clear
mind, and a dry, quiet sense of humor. That he was elected on the first ballot
speaks, I think, to the confidence people have in him.
The conversation
on church orders and ministry, concerned with ordination standards, is now
underway, and the tenor of the room has changed. There is not the hum of
conversation from the back of the room, no one is making any jokes, and people
on the whole seem to be much more focused. There is an edginess borne out of an
awareness that we don’t know what is going to happen, or what it will mean. …
With the
acceptance of the majority report, affecting G-6.0106b and the authoritative interpretation of 1978, there was neither
immediate protest nor celebration, simply silence. As a Presbytery we will have
to talk about this over the next two years, as part of the process of changing
the Constitution, and even more, as sisters and brothers. May God show us the most
excellent way.
But an interesting thing happened at lunch, shortly after that vote. I ran
into a friend with whom I entered into a rather lengthy conversation on the
decisions of the morning. It was good to be with him, but my energy was
flagging with the emotion of events and my heart wasn’t really in it. But then
I told him of an article entitled “Alive and Kicking” (http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140917/index.htm)
which had brought tears to my
eyes. It tells of one woman’s journey that is much like that of many a church,
and a demonstration of what “missional” really means. Then he shared a similar
article that he had read, and then conveyed the story of a mission partnership
his church is part of that likewise revealed that which is truly miraculous and
truly possible. Our energy and excitement mounted, we talked of plans in which
we might be able to work together in the future, of ministry here and out in
the world. And we celebrated the life that Jesus calls us to that is beyond the
more narrow topics that often fill our time. As we parted, I praised God for
how, once emptied, that the Spirit had filled me, my cup running over.
* * *
For the whole of my Presbyterian life I’ve celebrated that any one person
can have an impact on the life of the entire church. I now have a concrete
example and specific person to whom I can point. It was quite exciting to see
Tillie Chase propose an amendment that actually was approved by the Assembly,
no small feat this year. Lest you think it odd that I would make so much of
Tillie’s action and say so little about the amendment itself, my role at the
General Assembly is to support the faithfulness of the process and not promote
the particular content (there will be time enough to interpret when I get
back). So to see her recommendation go as far as it did was reason enough for
me to celebrate here.
* * *
As the Assembly draws to a close tonight, and knowing that this is my last
entry, I find myself being reminded of hopes and dreams I’ve had for the
Presbytery, and that I look forward to re-visiting and re-energizing upon my
return. After dinner about seventy TP-types and stated clerks got together for
a time of prayer that was quite honest and quite powerful. It was reaffirmation
of the gifts and desires that brought me to the Presbytery in the first place,
and I’m grateful for the ways that the Spirit moves through the General
Assembly to touch that core within me.
God is all in all,
Steve
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