 General Assembly approves biennial assemblies, again By Paula R. Kincaid The Layman Online Friday, May 30, 2003
By a vote of 285 to 230 (55 percent to 44 percent), the assembly concurred with the recommendation of the Committee on General Assembly Procedures to disapprove Overture 03-15 on setting aside the action on biennial assemblies and returning to the denomination's historic practice of holding annual meetings. Elder Ernest Ettlich, moderator of the committee, told commissioners that biennial assemblies can "change the ways we come together and increase our opportunities to come together and increase our opportunities for regional or national dialogues." "We are the last odd-year assembly," said Ettlich, adding that biennial assemblies are better stewardship. Youth Advisory Delegate Matthew Batzel of Lackawanna Presbytery spoke in favor of annual assemblies. "I came to the General Assembly very adamant about my positions," he said, but has been challenged and encouraged in his time here. Jack Rogers, moderator of the 213th General Assembly, also spoke in favor of biennial assemblies. "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to rethink the use of moderator travel," he said, adding that it would "make the office of moderator available to more people." A commissioner, who did not identify himself, said biennial assemblies would mean that fewer people would be able to be commissioners to General Assembly and serve the church. "Our stated clerk mentioned that when we as commissioners gather, our primary concern is to discern the will of God for the Presbyterian Church (USA). Should we not seek the will of God on a regular basis?" he asked. Joseph Slane of Sheppards and Lapsley Presbytery was in favor of biennial assemblies, saying that the "very fact that this is being debated at such length is another reason for biennial assemblies." He said the issue was debated at length during the last assembly. Hillary Livingston of Huntington Presbytery, and the pastor of three small churches in Central Pennsylvania, said her churches often feel disconnected from the national church. "Annual assemblies foster more participation in our church … and preserve the opportunity for all churches large and small to participate in our representative form of government. Moving to biennial assemblies means many of our best and brightest will not be able to serve the church." |
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