committees

GA is so new to me, that even the procedural parts of some of these meetings are fascinating to me. There is theology and ideology underlying it all. If this bores you… stop reading now. Below are the notes from sitting in on a bit of the initial Church Orders Committee meeting that deals with issues around ordination.

Our purpose as a committee: “We have been called to discern the will of Christ as best we are able in relationship to the issue brought before us.”
We are not to seek out our own will, the will of those at home, or constituent groups that we a part of … but to discern the will of Christ.

A committee but not the General Assembly. Make recommendations, so work needs to be done well, but the full assembly makes final decisions on these matters.
Worship, pray and read scripture together, to remember that we are all one in Jesus Christ, despite differing perspectives. Embody that vision for the church (vision of unity of the body). Listen very carefully to each other, to authentically listen to our brothers and sisters, the advocates, etc. Listen, but the final task is to listen for the voice of Jesus.

Processes to help that happen:
--Parliamentary procedure (does Robert’s rules really help us discern the will of Christ? I guess we shall see.)
“Parliamentary procedure is not a weapon. It is a not a club. [The moderator] needs to be fair, [he] may not be nice.”
--Hearing from a variety of persons who represent different kinds of gifts, perspectives and information.

If you wish to speak before the committee, you must speak to the moderator (this is So Presbyterian… order, order, order). But, I have seen it done at Presbytery meetings, and this seems very effective.

Guidelines on how Presbyterians can live together in times of disagreements. Operating principles for this kind of process… where can I get a copy?

Acronyms, acronyms, acronyms. Can a denomination survive without so many acronyms?

General Assembly has gone online this year. I think this is a brilliant move—and ironic considering brc’s election. It keeps us greener (can you imagine the paper waste from a week of meetings with almost two thousand people?)… but, it is slowing business down at almost every turn it seems. Oi.

The one item of business for tonight is the adoption of an agenda for the committee. Within three questions for clarification on the proposed agenda, there was a commissioner with a decently and in order comment (Can people asking question come up to the microphone?)… we are so presby.

These meetings are run as hearings essentially… it sounds a lot like the congressional hearings that I do not watch on CSPAN. There are items that are in conflict with each other—overtures wanting a section of the book of order removed that others want to strengthen. So the order in which these issues are considered matters, as well as the timing of voting. Do you discuss it all before taking any action, or do you vote on each and every issue individually? Oi.

I need to read the items. And maybe, just maybe, I could get back to part of this committee meeting…