Day 6: Split Down the Middle

The Presbyterian Church is deeply divided, and events of Day 6 of the Assembly bear that out.  A series of provocative and controversial proposals were addressed in this first full day of plenary deliberation:

• In the morning, the Assembly received the report of the Mid Councils Committee, for which I was the ACC resource person.  There were some parliamentary maneuvers offered, resulting in a change to one of the principal recommendations. Rather than form a commission to reduce the number of synods, the Assembly referred the entire report to a task force for recommendations about synods and "the composition and organization of the Mid Councils in ways that reinvigorate their capacity to support missional congregations, and advance the ecclesial nature and character of those presbyteries within the unity of the church." The recommendation really doesn't make sense as written, and has the effect of perpetuating the Mid Councils Report and the discussion of presbyteries (as a response to the recommendations on synods) even though the Assembly rejected its recommendations about presbyteries.  Perhaps most disturbing is the requirement that it be made up of only insiders-- members of the Committee on the General Assembly, members of the Mid Councils Commission, and Assembly Commissioners, presumably from the Mid Councils Committee. A lot of agendas there, but not a lot of new perspectives.  The final form of the task force won't be known until Friday, when the Assembly takes up an amendment from our own Sue Spencer to combine three of the four task forces or commissions approved by the Assembly into one. Despite this last minute resuscitation, the commission that worked two years on developing a new vision for the church was crushed by having none of their centerpiece recommendations adopted.
• The afternoon was filled with the report of the Church Polity committee, and focused on fine points of our polity.  Two overtures from our presbytery -- dealing with business at congregational meetings and representation of the session on the congregational nominating committee -- were defeated (with the exception of one provision).  But the real battle was a discussion on administrative leave for pastors accused of sexual misconduct with another adult. The overture, from Baltimore Presbytery, would seek to amend the Book of Order to allow the presbytery to place a pastor on administrative leave, pending an investigation, upon a written allegation of sexual misconduct against anyone, not merely minors. While some of the "teeth" of the overture were extracted, ultimately, the intent of the overture was adopted. Also in the Polity report was the seemingly innocuous bit about the "compliance report" from the Presbytery of Redwoods.  As predicted, it generated floor discussion, which was rather inartfully handled by the Office of the General Assembly.  I have received private assurances, however, that a process of administrative review will be conducted regarding the publicized refusal of the presbytery to carry out discipline against a minister as ordered by its own judicial commission and upheld by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission. We will be hearing more about this one.
• Even the usually placid report on the Board of Pensions, Foundation, and Presbyterian Publishing House was the focus of controversy around a commissioner's resolution to require the Stated Clerk to solicit communication with other denominations -- including the Evangelical Presbyterian Church and the new ECO splinter denomination -- to share in our Pension and Benefits program.  Unbelievably, this passed by a 339-331 margin (with 8 abstentions).  This is one of the most absurd action items I can ever remember in the history of my involvement in the PCUSA.  I am praying for reconsideration tomorrow.
• But the big brawl on Thursday was the battle over the recommendation to divest stock holdings from three U.S. Corporations lending material aid to the Israeli military occupation of Palestine.  The recommendation, from the GA Mission Council's Mission Responsibility through Investment Committee, was the result of a process of "corporate engagement" that began in 2004.  The proposal was lobbied heavily by groups both inside and outside the church.  In the end, it was defeated by the narrowest of margins, 333-331 with two abstentions. A substitute motion encouraging "peaceful investment" in the region was adopted.  

It was a long day... commissioners labored from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.  There is much much more to do tomorrow, including same-sex marriage overtures scheduled for sometime in the afternoon.

No "crying YAADs" yet... but I'm betting we'll see one tomorrow, most likely during the same-sex marriage debate.

Day 5: Fireworks

It wouldn’t be the Fourth of July without fireworks, and the fireworks started early at the General Assembly Wednesday.  Commissioners were greeted with an unexpected item of business:  the resignation of Vice Moderator Tara Spuhler McCabe, only two days after her election.  She explained that this decision was her own, based on her pastoral concern for the church.  As I reported in an earlier blog, her confirmation as Vice Moderator was fraught with challenges to the standing rules, and to her personally, since she admitted to having officiated a same-sex wedding in violation of Presbyterian polity.  In her resignation speech she indicated that there were multiple individuals and groups who were threatening to block the assembly’s ability to conduct business through various parliamentary mechanisms if she continued as Vice Moderator.

The Standing Rules of the General Assembly do not address the resignation of a confirmed Vice Moderator, but Robert’s Rules of Order provide that when a person appointed or elected to office resigns, the same power to appoint or elect applies to the appointment or election of the successor.  So Moderator Presa proceeded to nominate a new Vice Moderator, who was elected (according to the Standing Rules) at the next business session.  To show how divisive the Vice Moderator's confirmation has become, a motion to allow 20 minutes to discuss the actions of Rev. McCabe after she had resigned failed by a single vote.

The selection of Trinidad raised concern among some progressive commissioners who had voted for Presa on the promise of a "partnership" between left and right.  It was assumed that he would select a new Vice Moderator more in the mold of McCabe -- at least one who was not a male Teaching Elder.

The floor business on day one of plenary meetings is typically benign, arranged to let the Assembly settle in to the practice of deliberation.  One of the most controversial items was a substitute motion to allow presbyteries to limit their payments to higher councils to 18% of their operating budgets, which was ultimately defeated. (It would have saved our presbytery close to $60,000 annually, but would bankrupt higher councils.)

Another important matter was the consideration of a new translation of the 1563 Heidelberg Catechism.  The matter was first brought to the 218th General Assembly in San Jose in 2008, which initiated the process for amending the Confessions.  Approval was given in 2010 to participate in a joint translation process with two other Reformed denominations.  Their final product was presented at this assembly and was approved to be sent to the presbyteries for their consideration.  Approval by 2/3 of the presbyteries and by the next Assembly is necessary for adoption.  In a related matter, the Assembly approved forming a new "Committee of Fifteen" to make recommendation to the 2014 Assembly regarding incorporating the Belhar Confession into our Book of Confessions.  Belhar was approved by the Assembly in 2010 but fell eight shy of obtaining the requisite number of presbytery approvals.

The day ended early to allow commissioners and others to enjoy the fireworks show over the Three Rivers confluence.

GA Day 4: Decision and Division

The 220th General Assembly rounded the turn and headed into the home stretch as committees wrapped up their work Tuesday with a number of surprising recommendations for consideration by the full Assembly over the next three and a half days.

The biggest news was a narrow endorsement of an overture from Hudson River Valley Presbytery seeking to amend the Book of Order provisions on marriage by substituting "two people" where it currently says "a man and a a woman."  Most observers expected the committee to "punt" the issue of marriage to the next assembly, given the very volatile conditions in the denomination.  Instead, they headed right into the middle of the fray with colors flying.

Almost as surprising was the near total rejection of the work of the Mid Councils Commission after two years of work and unprecedented input from the whole denomination.  The centerpieces of the report: recommendations to "re-purpose" synods into "multi-presbytery mission partnerships" and to launch a "season of experimentation" with "missional affinity presbyteries" and "porous presbyteries" were apparently too radical for the Assembly committee, which opted for a more traditional process of consolidating synods, and scuttled presbytery changes altogether.

The Mid Council committee saw two moments of unusual candor in its consideration of some of the other overtures assigned to it.  In one, an overture advocate from Mississippi asked the committee to vote against his own presbytery's amendment, saying the work the committee had done was superior.  In another, an overture advocate from Santa Barbara admitted that getting out of the property trust clause was one reason his presbytery was seeking to let congregations decide between conflicting polities in union presbyteries, even though the published rationale made no mention of property, but sought "missional flexibility" and "streamlined process".  His presbytery has just voted to seek to become a union presbytery with the new splinter denomination ECO, which mandates congregational control of property.

In other "hot button" items of business: 

• The Middle East and Peacemaking Issues committee approved the recommendation to divest from three corporations aiding Israel's illegal military occupation and settlement of Palestinian lands.  The committee added a section stating that church holdings would still be invested in companies engaged in non-military pursuits in Israel, and a detailed comment on the rather limited impact of the divestment decision.
• The Mission Coordination Committee narrowly rejected plans from the General Assembly Mission Council to change the funding process of the four annual special offerings. Yesterday, they rejected the GAMCs 19% "administrative fee" on the Theological Education Fund in favor of a two year negotiation process with the seminaries.
• And, in the Biennial Assembly Review Committee, the two most controversial proposals were largely rejected, including creation of a new category of "young adult commissioner" and the requirement that all presbytery overtures obtain at least 18 concurrences representing 10% of all presbyteries to be considered by the Assembly.Instead, the committee is recommending amendments requiring only one concurrence.

Adding to the confusion and frustration of many commissioners were the many problems committees had navigating parliamentary procedure.The issues weren't in the process, but rather in the leadership, most notably the parliamentarians.The commissioners weren't much better, as they often seemed to be oblivious to the theology and polity of the Reformed tradition.In two different committees I heard commissioners dismiss the advice of the Advisory Committee on the Constitution as "just nine people's opinions" as if conformity to the Constitution was optional. Fortunately,the ACC's advice was honored in almost every case anyway.

Tomorrow, plenary gets underway at 2 p.m. and the Assembly starts to finalize its action on the hundreds of items of business before it.

GA Days 2-3: Getting Down to Business

Sunday night is the bridge between the "family reunion" part of the Assembly and the "business" part.  That's when committees meet for the first time to go over introductions and do group building.  Monday is a day full of committee work as the Assembly begins to process hundreds of items of business.

Judging by the galleries, the most interest at the Assembly are in the two committees whose work topped my list - Marriage Issues and Middle East Peacemaking.  One member of the Marriage Issues Committee described the committee as "deeply divided and concerned this may not be the time to do anything." The commissioners are feeling the pain and anxiety of the denomination, and have been told by some "The church will split and it will be your fault."  That's both unfair and untrue.  But it gives an insight into this Assembly.

The big controversy yesterday was the confirmation of the Vice Moderator.  Tara Spuhler McCabe had admitted to signing a same-sex marriage license in Washington D.C. about a month ago (she says she didn't perform the ceremony though), and many commissioners wanted to take time to examine her on the floor of the Assembly (the majority voted it down and she was approved with a 30% "no" vote).  Nevertheless the moderatorship of Neal D. Presa got off to a challenging start.  The lukewarm response to his candidacy was reflected in Committee 5 (which I am resourcing) which not only failed to acknowledge him when he entered the room, but failed to stand (as is protocol) and many didn't even clap.  It is sad to see some traditions fade away.

Shortly after the Vice Moderator to-do, Gradye Parsons was elected to a second four-year term as Stated Clerk, the least surprising development of the Assembly, as he was "standing" unopposed.

Some news of personal interest: Sunday morning I was pleased to worship at the church of Robyn Baker) Peterson, who years ago was a teenager in the church I pastored in Utah.  The congregation bore a striking resemblance to Family of Christ church in Greeley where my family worships.  Later that day, my friend Alyson Jonke was given the C. Fred Jenkins Award for Constitutional Service for a lifetime of dedication to the polity of the church.  She was presented the award by our Stated Clerk Lynn Smit, who is President of the Association of Stated Clerks.

The overtures from our Presbytery are meeting with a mixed response.  The Polity Committee largely rejected two of our amendments to clarify changes in the Form of Government.  One of our commissioners sits on that committee and reported that for a polity committee the group is surprisingly ignorant of (and possibly indifferent to) our polity.  Officially, they're not dead, but it will take a miracle the equal of the resurrection to revive them.  On a brighter note, our proposed Authoritative Interpretation regarding validating ministries was approved in committee.  And, as proof that our presbytery is even more polarized than the General Assembly, the controversial trade reform overture that was approved by a 38-30 vote at our May meeting was unanimously recommended by the Social Issues committee (with one abstention).  Kudos to Joanne Dobie for a tremendous job as our overture advocate!  The Assembly still must approve them to become official.

Finally, in the Mid Councils Committee, after a full day of listening to various resource people, advocates, and each other an informal survey of opinion in committee shows significant doubts about the Mid Councils Commission report.  We'll see what develops tomorrow.

Day 1: Gauging the Tone

The 220th General Assembly formally convened at 1:30 on Saturday with our opening sevice of worship.  This was the first time in many assemblies that worship was the first item of business, and it seems to have helped set the tone of this assembly as one that is civil, if lacking in energy.

There appears to be less stridency on both the right and the left at this Assembly.  The only demonstration I have witnessed today is one outside the convention center by the “Israel Palestine Mission Network” – one of the more extreme pro-Palestinian advocacy groups.  The tone of commissioners asking questions of the four moderatorial candidates was less anxious and less confrontational than has  previously been the case.  Similarly, the moderatorial candidates were uniformly pastoral and conciliatory.

The relatively subdued -- perhaps even somber -- tone of the first day might be due to any number of reasons:  a battle-weariness across the church, the near-daily stories of dismissed congregations, the frail (and rumored failing) health of outgoing moderator Cynthia Bolbach, who moderated from a wheelchair sporting a fedora to cover the loss of her hair due to advancing cancer.

The big item of business, of course was the election of the moderator.  Neil D. Presa, Pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church in Middlesex New Jersey was elected on the fourth ballot in what proved to be a somewhat lackluster election.  None of the candidates knocked it out of the park in the speeches or Q & A before the assembly, and none really defined themselves in a way that made them stand out.  Each candidate’s base support was largely stable, resulting in the need for four ballots to reach a majority.  Presa’s candidacy was successful despite the recent controversy surrounding his Vice Moderator, Tara Spuhler McCabe, a teaching elder who recently officiated a same-sex wedding in Washington, D.C.  She won’t be the first controversial Vice Moderator we have elected.

Presa, pastor of Middlesex Presbyterian Church in Middlesex, New Jersey, was the most poised of the candidates in the Q & A round.  He answered a question about handling conflict by a story of (literally) herding cats in the church parking lot that was unique and engaging.  Even so, the response in the hall to his election was warm but not enthusiastic.

The blooper reel today was provided by our often controversial but never dull outgoing Vice Moderator Landon Whitsitt.   While moderating the training of commissioners on the electronic voting system, he misspoke (accidentally, I think), twice.  First, when he asked the commissioners to vote for categories of gender and ordination status, he asked them to declare their “gender and orientation.”  Next, when one missionary advisory delegate obviously had entered a mistaken vote, he commented, “How can we trust missionaries with the gospel (if they can’t handle the voting pad)?”   Before the words were out of his mouth, his brain engaged and he immediately reframed the remark, but the damage was done, and I expect the Layman will run the headline, “Vice Moderator says missionaries can’t be trusted with the gospel.”

Cuteness prize:  Moderator Presa’s prayer of installation was offered by his young sons.  They prayed for their father, the church, the Assembly, and “the people of Colorado and those fighting the fires there.”  Amen, young man, amen.

How to Watch a General Assembly, Part 2

Serious "GA junkies" follow the business of the Assembly closer than a bookie follows the ponies. They have identified those items they want to follow, scoped out the best seats in the gallery, and customized their "home page" on pc-biz. Pray you don't become one of them.

Seriously, the constitutionally essential function of the General Assembly is its consideration of the various reports, overtures, requests, and referrals that come before it. The Stated Clerk will undoubtedly announce the number at some point, but typically it can reach 400 distinct items of business. That's a lot to process in five and a half days.

The sheer volume of business places a great responsibility on the standing committees that make recommendations to the plenary assembly on each item of business. There are 20 such committees this Assembly, with an average size of 45 commissioners and advisory delegates in each. The assignment of commissioners to committees is determined by computer, and although it is not entirely random it is not biased.

The schedule of each committee is posted on pc-biz and is typically the same: introductory matters on Sunday evening, open forums Monday morning, and then the tasks of deliberating and making recommendations on each item before them, wrapping up before dinner Tuesday. (It is not uncommon for some committees to work into Tuesday night.) Committee leadership will typically organize the agenda to begin with relatively non-controversial matters to assist the group in building confidence and community. Assembly goers should plan to sit in on two or at most three committees. Otherwise, you lose the ability to follow the dynamics of each committee.

This year, commissioners will be seated by committee, not presbytery, in the plenary assembly. There is no clear rationale for why this is so. In my opinion, it only makes the work of presbytery staff trying to support their commissioners much more difficult, and makes it more difficult for each presbytery's commissioners to develop as a community.  [UPDATE: The Assembly organizers have heard the concerns about this arrangement and have returned to seating commissioners by presbytery.]

Plenary convenes after lunch on Wednesday and will process every business item except for final budgets by Friday night. A good moderator makes a tremendous difference in how smoothly and civilly the plenary sessions are. At the last Assembly, the moderator was so efficient that items of business were processed faster than the Assembly could keep up, resulting in a record number of votes for reconsideration.

The sheer size of the assembly hall can make it difficult as a visitor to track the proceedings. There are television monitors around the convention hall where it is often easier to see and hear the proceedings. The chairs are often more comfortable too.

After attending 12 assemblies, I have noticed there are some "stock characters" that show up at each meeting: the chastising EAD, the angry elder, the rainbow liberal, the ambitious TSAD, the crying YAAD. They will all be there this year too -- all part of the gloriously diverse community that makes a General Assembly. I am one of those people too - the "polity wonk." During the committee time, I will be serving as the Advisory Committee on the Constitution resource to assembly committee 5 (Mid Councils Review). During the plenary I can be found directly behind the commissioners near the corresponding members microphone, where the ACC is seated. Feel free to stop by during breaks and say hi. I will keep my daily journal of reflections on the Assembly and its business as the drama unfolds. I hope you will keep reading.

How to Watch a General Assembly, Part 1

The first GA I attended was the reunion Assembly in 1983, the year I graduated seminary. I drove the 800 miles from Princeton to Atlanta with two classmates.  We had no idea what to expect at the Assembly, and no map by which to navigate the GA experience.  In the end, it was still a worthwhile excursion (it led to my first call in Boise, Idaho), but when I hear stories from others about that momentous occasion, they remind me of how much I missed due to my lack of awareness and preparation.

So I offer this post as something of a map for other GA newcomers.

To begin, when we say the General Assembly is a three-ring circus, it is not just a metaphor.  There are actually three different assemblies happening simultaneously.  In the first ring of the Assembly is the Family Reunion.  This is the focus of the first two days, and is by far the most fun part of the Assembly.  It is not only the best opportunity for veteran Assembly-goers to reconnect with friends from across the denomination, it is also the time when people are most open to making new connections.  The only major item of business is the election of the new moderator.  There are plenty of worship and fellowship events going on.  If you are coming to the Assembly to witness the diversity of the church, this is the best time to come.  Don't miss the opening worship celebration or the election and installation of the new moderator.

The second ring of our circus is the Mission Fair.  This takes place principally but not exclusively in the Exhibit Hall, where every ministry, mission, and interest group of the church has its booth, and representatives to help you understand their work.  I encourage visitors not only to browse the exhibits, but to use them as a chance to get a true education in the work of the church. The representatives are eager to answer even the most basic inquiries.  What does PILP do?  Why do we have an Office of Immigration Issues?  What are the concerns facing military chaplains?  Veteran assembly goers know that they can pick up a year's supply of post-it notes, pens, and other take-aways with a single tour of the hall, not to mention all the candy you can stomach.  You will want to stop in at the bookstore and the SERVV international craft shop. Whether or not you want to spend much time in "Advocacy Alley" -- where the various advocacy groups in the church promote their agendas for the church -- may depend on your tolerance level for political conversation.  The Exhibit Hall closes early -- on Wednesday -- so don't wait until the last minute to check it out.

Related to these first two "rings" are the many ticketed events and open houses that are listed in your Assembly schedule.  Open houses are a good opportunity to find food and drink on a limited budget.  The price of the hors-d'oeuvres is at least feigning an interest in whatever group is hosting the event, but I have usually found them worthwhile.  Most ticketed events require advance purchase, but if you don't have a ticket, or can't afford convention center event rates, don't despair.  Keep an eye out for extra tickets that may appear on the bulletin boards by persons who "overbooked" or changed plans.  If there is an event or speaker you absolutely must see, don't hesitate to ask at the door if you can just "sit in" for the speaker.  Sometimes, they might even invite you to enjoy the meal as well.  Be sure to offer at least a token gift in return, if you can.

I will leave the third "ring" of the Assembly -- the business ring -- for my next post.