219th GA: Exhibitor Booths in the Exhibit Hall

There are numerous exhibitor “booths” in the General Assembly Exhibit Hall. The booths belong to various entities and or organizations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), not-for-profit organizations of Presbyterians, and companies and business which cater to churches. The not-for-profit organizations run the full range of the theological spectrum, from the progressive to the conservative.

I am registered as an Exhibitor for Presbyterians Voices for Justice. Our booth (photo right), which is actually a double booth, is located, this year, near the main entrance of the Exhibit Hall. Our location is only fair because two years ago, at the GA in San Jose, our booth was located in the back of the exhibit hall. Because the exhibit hall in San Jose was much smaller than this year’s hall, we were also limited two years ago to a single booth even though we were willing to pay for a double booth.

Across the aisle from us is one of our “friendlies”, that is a not-for-profit organization that embraces a similar commitment to justice, even if their commitment is more focused and less inclusive than PVJ’s broad focus. That group across the aisle is the Covenant Network of Presbyterians. The Covenant Network (Cov-Net) was formed in (year) by several tall steeple preachers in response to the constitution being amended to prohibit the ordination and installation of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered persons. I regularly contribute to Cov-Net and participate in its programs but do not consider myself a member of the Cov-Net because the Cov-Net is not really a “Membership” organization. Cov-Net appears to me to be highly organized and generally well polished, although sometimes a little regimented and tending to take a safer and less controversial approach than other groups. Their most recognizable staff are Pam Byers (photographed in the booth, right) and Tricia Dykers-Koeneg.

On the other side of the curtain which is the back wall of Cov-Net’s booth is the booth of More Light Presbyterians (MLP)(photo right). In the words of my young friend Charlie, these are “the rainbow people”, the people who at GA distribute rainbow colored scarves for commissioners and others to wear as a witness to their commitment to a fully inclusive church. MLP has been engaged in the struggle for the full inclusion of LGBTs in the life of the church, including removing impediments to their ordination, and advocating for their right to marry people of the same sex, longer than any other group in the Presbyterian Church. MLP has often taken a more controversial and “in your face” approach than Cov-Net. MLP also knows how to have fun in worship and to be prophetic without apology or compromise. Among them are some of the most loving, compassionate, and pastoral people I know. Like Cov-Net, I regularly contribute to MLP and participate in its programs. Their Executive Director is Michael Adee.

Across the aisle from MLP is the booth (photo right) of That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS), another pro LGBT organization that in my mind spun off from MLP and is perhaps more focused on the ordination issue rather than the acceptance and rights of all LGBT Presbyterians. Their booth is designed to look like the booth in a diner, which symbolizes that they desire the church to be “open” all the time, like a diner, and that God invites all people to the table of the Lord. Their Executive Director is Lisa Largess.

At the other end of the exhibit hall are the booths of other groups I share an affinity with. One of these groups is the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (PPF) (photo right), the peacemaking peaceniks of the Presbyterian Church who more faithfully follow Peacemaking: The Believers Calling than most of us and who seek to live lives of radical peacemaking. They number around 3,000, which by some standards might seem small, but their spirit is great and their witness without parallel. Their Executive Director is former General Assembly Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase.

Next to the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship booth is the booth of the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund (photo right), a not-for-profit organization which advocates for passage of the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill, which, when enacted “would restore the rights of citizens whose conscience does not permit physical or financial participation in all war, Federal taxes of designated conscientious objectors would be placed in a non-military trust fund, enabling these citizens to be free from spiritual bondage, increasing federal revenue, and restoring the balance of government between collective security and non-interference in an individual’s free exercise of belief.” The newly elected Chairman of the Campaign, whom I just recently met, is Rick Woodard. Their Executive Director is Bethany Criss.

Not far down the aisle from the booth of the National Campaign for a Peace Tax and the booth of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship is the booth of Presbyterians for Earth Care (photo right), “the green people”. This organization used to be known as Presbyterians for Restoring Creation, of which I was a charter member. Many of its founding members were, at the time of its founding, as I was, also members of the Witherspoon Society. Of all the advocacy groups in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), this is the only group that advocates for nothing else other than environmental stewardship. It shares its booth with Warren Wilson College, a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) related college that is, without a doubt, the greenest Presbyterian College in the country.

There are many more exhibitors with booths in the Exhibit Hall, even some other “friendlies” , but these are some of the ones I, with a commitment to social justice, the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the life of the church, peacemaking, and environmental stewardship, am most drawn to.

219th GA: The Covenant Network of Presbyterians Luncheon

About 300 people gathered in Ballroom D of the Minneapolis Hilton for the Covenant Network (Cov-Net) Luncheon. Luncheon guests were greeted by the Reverend David Van Dyke, Cov-Net Co-Moderator, who also recognized and thanked out going Co-Moderator the Reverend Deborah Block and introduced in coming Co-Moderator the Reverend Mary Lynn Tobin. Tobin then offered an Invocation followed by the luncheon crowd heartily singing Harry Emerson Fosdick’s progressive hymn, God of Grace and God of Glory, one of my favorite hymns.

As soon as we concluded singing we were invited to welcome General Assembly Moderator Cindy Bolbach. Bolbach has a long history in the struggle for justice for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered persons in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), having been one of the original National Capitol Presbytery Stonecatchers, who organized as a response to G-6.0106b. She was given a standing ovation as she approached the dais.

Following the Moderator’s brief remarks, Pam Byers introduced many others in attendance, including Sharon Groves, who addressed the work of the Human Rights Campaign Clergy Call For Justice and Equality, May 22-24, 2011 in Washington, DC.

Deborah Block introduced the keynote speaker, Gustav Niebuhr, the grandson of H. Richard Niebuhr and the author of Beyond Tolerance: Searching for Interfaith Understanding in America. I had heard Gustav earlier in the morning when he testified before the Middle East Peacemaking Issues Committee during open testimony. Hearing him speak again during the Cov-Net luncheon was somewhat of a treat. I read some of his grandfather’s work and some of his great uncle’s work when in college and seminary.

After Niebuhr’s speech, Dave Colby and Tricia Dykers Koenig shared Cov-Net’s hopes for this General Assembly. Afterward, Tricia was recognized for her first ten years of work with the Covenant Network. Let us hope and pray that we will not need to recognize her second ten years with Cov-Net because the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will be a fully inclusive church within the next ten years and no longer in need of the witness of the Covenant Network.

Tricia being properly honored, Tim Hart-Anderson made the usual pitch for financial support that one hears at such meal gatherings. He noted that Cov-Net has an annual budget of about $300,000, a third of which coming from congregations and two thirds coming from individuals.

Deborah Block dismissed the luncheon crowd with a Benediction.

When I sit down at one of these General Assembly Luncheons or dinners I never know who else might end sitting at the same table. Most tables sit eight. With one empty chair at my table, I ate lunch with six others. I knew one table mate well, the Reverend Trina Zelle, Minister Commissioner from Grand Canyon Presbytery and a former Co-Moderator of the Witherspoon Society (now Presbyterian Voices for Justice).

I knew by reputation Julie Lehman, an exhibitor with Presbyterians for Earth Care and Warren Wilson College. After the benediction, Julie introduced herself and we talked about the good work of Presbyterians for Earth Care, formerly Presbyterians for Restoring Creation, and also the good work of Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. I was a charter member of Presbyterians for Restoring Creation and was trained as a Restoring Creation Enable in a week’s training at Ghost Ranch just before the Albuquerque General Assembly, so I am keenly interested in the work of Presbyterians for earth Care and appreciated meeting Julie.

I also knew by reputation Leslie Scanlon, a reporter for The Presbyterian Outlook. Scanlon’s presence in the seat to my left caused a bit of anxiety as I thought “Here I am, a mere amateur blogger with little if any journalistic training or experience, sharing his reflections of the General Assembly, sitting next to a professional reporter whose primary beat is the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and whose secondary beat is the Church at large.

219th GA: Dinner with the Covenant Network

Listed in the official 219th General Assembly (2010) Program Book as the “Covenant Network Commissioner Dinner” but with printed programs calling it “Commissioners' Convocation Dinner” and held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church,  this gathering or mostly progressive Presbyterians and friends last night offered the opportunity for about a hundred Commissioners to the General Assembly as well as Observers and others to enjoy food, fellowship and to hear from Doug Nave (photo right).

Doug spoke in the sanctuary and from the pulpit of the Westminster Presbyterian Church. His remarks were preceded by a Gathering Litany and Hymn. They were followed by a Sending Litany and Closing Prayer. Though not billed as a worship service, it was clear that Doug’s comments were being set within a worshipful setting.

Doug is an attorney, a Covenant Network director, and a member of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. His topic for the evening, as listed in the printed program, was That’s For Sure but I am not sure why. I would have titled it “Coming Out as a Presbyterian”. If I heard Doug correctly, all progressive Presbyterians need to come out, that is to self-identify themselves as Christians who value and affirm the historic principles of our Reformed and Presbyterian tradition, principles such as “God alone is Lord of the conscience” and “there are truths and forms with respect to which [people] of good characters and principles may differ” and "’Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda,’ that is, ‘The church reformed, always reforming,’ according to the Word of God and the call of the Spirit.” It is these very historic principles, and others like them, that point the church to change its stance on the ordination of those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered and to change its stance on marriage.

Doug pointed out that while the church once defended the geocentric universe as a matter of doctrine that we know that the earth revolves around the sun. He noted that whereas the church was in its early life communistic and a peace church that we now embrace such just war and capitalism. He observed that we once defended as a matter of doctrine the institution of slavery but that we now embrace equal rights for all. Whereas the Presbyterian Church used to believe that women could not and should not be ordained we now believe that God calls men and women to all ministries of the church. Similarly, while the church has historically argued that marriage is only between a man and a woman that it is time to recognize that same sex couples also fall in love and are already living in relationship that in every other way resemble marriage and are so legally recognized by some states, and so it is time for the church to change its understanding of marriage and to not only recognize marriage between same sex partners but to also empower its Ministers to celebrate these marriages where state law permits it.

After those in attendance were given an opportunity to enjoy their meal, the six candidates for General Assembly Moderator, some with their choice of Vice Moderator running mates in tow, each spoke briefly to those gathered.  This offered me my first opportunity to begin thinking about who I would vote for if I were a commissioner.

The Covenant Network was formed over a dozen years ago in order to affirm the historic principles of our Reformed and Presbyterian tradition after they were called into question by the Adoption of Amendment B, now G-6.0106b in the Book of Order, a provision which stripped away the session’s historic right and responsibility to decide who to ordain as Elders and Deacons and the presbytery’s historic right to decide who it will ordain as Ministers.

Thanks to the Presbyterian Voices Website, here is a link to the entire text of Doug's presentation.

Money Well Raised

You might expect to find friendship, inspiration and hope in a church, but wine and hors d’oeuvres (not counting the Eucharist)? What about enjoying wine and hors d d’oeuvres in a church not only with supporters of the GLBT community but at least one out lesbian Minister of the Word and Sacrament? In New York City, yes!

I recently had the opportunity and pleasure of attending “A Covenant Network Fundraising Event” hosted by the Revered Dr. Scott Black Johnston and the Reverend Dr. Jon M. Walton. The event was held in a third floor multipurpose room at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in upper Manhattan.

Guests included the Reverend Deborah Block and the Reverend David Van Dyke, Co-Moderators of the Covenant Network, who briefly discussed challenges before the 219th General Assembly, featured in the photo to the right.

Special Guest the Reverend Cheryl Pyrch, Pastor of Summit Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, shared her ordination story and, as much as the cloture of a presbytery meeting in executive session would allow, her being called to serve in Philadelphia Presbytery.

Takako Terino briefly spoke about the work of Presbyterian Welcome.

The pinot noir was smooth. The cheese, crackers and fruit were delicious. The progressive and enlightened company was sociable. I have no idea how many people were invited to this event but I was a little surprised there were not more in attendance. After all, this is New York City and Fifth Avenue. I also do not know how much money Covenant Network raised, but if it at all serves to raise the level of debate and awareness of the current exclusive and unjust policy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) which excludes the Ordination of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender individuals who do not pledge themselves to chastity, then it will be money well raised.

Has San Francisco Lost Its Heart?

Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but I wondering if it is still there.

I was on the campus of UnionPSCE in Richmond Virginia Wednesday morning when I learned that San Francisco Presbytery had become the first presbytery to flip-flop from having historically supported the full inclusion of all God’s children in the leadership of the church to rejecting that possibility by failing to approve 08-B with a 167-177 vote. A member of Redwoods Presbytery, the presbytery just to the north of San Francisco Presbytery, was sitting nearby and was not a bit surprised by the vote, saying that SFP has always been a divided Presbytery.

Thanks to Presbyweb one can easily review Tuesday's results. National Capitol Presbytery maintained its supportive progressive record, approving 08-B with a vote of 222-102. Salem flipped-flopped into the progressive column by a mere seven votes, approving 08-B with a vote of 156-149. Wabash Valley also flipped flopped by approving 08-B by sixten votes, 76-60. And San Franscisco Presbytery . . . well . . . disappointing from my perspective, and perhaps a bit symbolic, and instructive.

In an earlier version of this post I had credited The GA Junkie for some astute observations regarding the possible symbolism of this flip-flop by San Francisco Presbytery but the credit really belongs to John Shuck at Shuck and Jive. To paraphrase and add to John, San Franscisco Presbytery is . . .

where PCUSA Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow is a minister member;

where Out Lesbian and Minister Coordinator for That All May Freely Serve Lisa Larges is a candidate;

where The Covenant Network of Presbyterians maintains its office and some of its staff; and

where there areapparently numerous bath houses editor emeritus of The Layman Parker T. Williamson believes will erupt in jubilation if the PC(USA) approves 08-B.

In spite of some presbyteries voting overwhelmingly to approve 08-B and some others voting overwhelmingly to defeat 08-B, the vote in many other presbyteries, like San Francisco Presbytery, has been very close. Three presbyteries, in fact, have had tied votes and a tie vote does not count toward approval but rather defeat.

Why the flip flop in San Francisco Presbytery? Progressive turnout or lack thereof. In 2001 there were 186 votes against 01-A, nine more than this year. But in 2001 there 216 votes FOR 01-A, 49 more votes than this year! Where have the progressives gone? Could not eleven more have dragged themselves to Tuesday’s meeting? Every vote does indeed count.

Western North Carolina Approves 08-B

Both Tricia Dykers Koenig of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians and Michael Adee of More Light Presbyterians have reported that Western North Carolina Presbytery has become the first presbytery to approve Ordination Amendment 08-B after consistently voting to maintain G-6.0106b in previous years. Michael reports that the vote was “144 Yes, 108 No.” Tricia reports that “By a margin of 57% approval, we believe that this is the first presbytery to "flip" from opposition to approval. In 2001, the vote was 38% Yes and in 2009 it is 57% Yes, making this a 19% positive gain.” Neither Tricia nor Michael seems to have noted the symbolic and ironic significance of this vote, however.

Western North Carolina Presbytery is the presbytery in which Parker T. Williamson,editor emeritus of The Layman, resides and is a member. My hunch is that he would have been present for this historic vote.

Can anyone else hear the shackles of years of injustice being loosened?