Thursday, June 22, 2006

GA Day 8 – The End of a Very Long Week

Stories from June 21, 2006

Today’s Docket

  • 8:30 am Morning Worship (in plenary) Elder Cat Dodson, member, First Presbyterian Church of Shreveport, Louisiana and Master of Divinity student at Boston University School of Theology, under care of the Presbytery of the Pines.
  • 9:30 am Business Meeting, watch live via the internet,
    Bills and Overtures,
    General Assembly Procedures (Financial Implications),
    Mission Coordination (Financial Implications)
    Introduction of San Jose Committee on Local Arrangements
  • Noon Adjourn

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The acceptance of the PUP report (which I recognize that a lot of good people met for a very long time to plan) adds a very big nail into the coffin of the PCUSA.
I am on staff at a fairly large PC(USA) congregation and personally could go either way on the issue. I simply have not been convinced of either arguement yet.

But, I tell you this in truth: Most of the young families who are looking to attend Presbyterian churches don't want a gay person as their minister and don't want to be affliated with a denomination that does. For better or for worse, they are looking for clear-cut, traditional, "family-friendly" churches that give them clear, "old school" morals.

Once presbyteries begin ordaining homosexuals (and let's face it - this report leaves room for that to happen), we are going to lose the young families BIG TIME.

Hunker down in your pews and find cover, my friends. It is going to get nasty and I predict right now that within 4 years there will be schism.

My only prayer is that when the split-up comes that it does done with grace and class.

Anonymous said...

Pappy,

You are right...I probably should at least put that remark in context. My career has been entirely with several different PCUSA churches in the southeast U.S., all of them between 1500 and 3500 members. In those settings, the families that want "old school" morality far outnumber those who are indifferent or who desire a gay minister. I've had decent tenures at those churches and gotten to know enough of the membership at each, that I think I'm pretty safe in saying that it's a good estimate.
Now, in other areas of the county, your mileage may vary.