 Commissioners urged to revise Book of Order, OK fundraiser By John H. Adams The Layman Online Sunday, May 16, 2002
More than 500 commissioners -- nearly equal numbers of elders and ministers -- were on hand for the opening plenary to hear reports by outgoing Moderator Jack B. Rogers, Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick and General Assembly Council Executive Director John Detterick. Rogers, who spent much of his year embroiled in controversy because of his denunciation of the Confessing Church Movement, the Presbyterian Lay Committee and other evangelical groups, was cautious in his final presentation. Kirkpatrick said, as he has before, that the PCUSA is headed toward a train wreck without major changes in polity. And Detterick urged commissioners to approve a campaign to raise $40 million for world mission and developing new congregations, particularly racial-ethnic churches. Following the election of the new moderator, the 553 commissioners to the 214th General Assembly will begin business in earnest Monday, June 17, when the assembly's 13 committees begin considering more than 50 overtures, as well as recommendations from the General Assembly Council and resolutions from advisory committees and commissioners. Among other matters, the commissioners will decide whether Jesus is Lord of Christians only or Lord of all; whether the denomination will muster the resolve to enforce constitutional standards; whether general assemblies will begin meeting biennially; whether to make it more difficult to amend the Book of Order; and what the church should say about abortion, euthanasia and other life issues. |
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