14th presbytery seeks repeal of PCUSA ordination standard By John H. Adams The Layman Online Monday, November 28, 2005 Southern New England has become the 14th presbytery in the Presbyterian Church (USA) to approve an overture seeking to repeal G-6.0106b – the constitutional "fidelity/chastity" clause in the Book of Order – and the General Assembly Authoritative Interpretation that declares that homosexual practice is sinful. The tally is four more than the number of presbyteries submitting similar overtures to the 216th General Assembly in 2004, but it is expected to increase. Of the 10 presbyteries approving anti-G-6.0106b overtures in 2004, eight have done so for the 217th General Assembly, which will meet in Birmingham in June. (Story continues below chart.) Presbyteries with overtures seeking repeal of G-6.0106b Presbytery 1997 members 2004 members Change Total loss Vote for repeal in 2001 Newark 8,740 7,992 -8.6% 748 45.9% East Iowa 19,330 16,376 -15.3% 2,954 53.1% Lake Michigan 22,053 19,769 -10.4% 2,284 58.2% Newton 16,731 14,985 -10.4% 1,746 70.7% Genessee Valley 19,327 15,871 -17.9% 3,456 59.3% Mid-Kentucky 12,491 11,570 -7.4% 921 64.2% Twin Cities 27,567 25,846 -6.2% 1,721 63.8% Des Moines 12,367 10,700 -13.5% 1,667 60.0% Detroit 41,712 36,114 -13.4% 5,598 47.9% Cascades 29,113 26,294 -9.7% 2,819 61.5% Western Reserve 17,466 14,603 -16.4% 2,863 64.2% Heartland 29,725 25,364 -14.7% 4,361 51.9% Baltimore 21,619 18,537 -14.3% 3,082 65.4% S. New England 9,738 8,891 -8.7% 847 60.2% Totals 287,979 252,912 -12.2% 35,067   The two not yet included in this year's protest of the constitutional ordination standard are the Hudson River and National Capital presbyteries. Both are strongholds for the gay activist movement in the denomination. They have until February to meet the deadline for overtures to the 217th General Assembly. The last time presbyteries voted on a proposed amendment to repeal G-6.0106b was in 2001. Overall, the amendment was rejected by 73.4 percent of the denomination's 173 presbyteries, but 78.6 percent of Hudson River's commissioners voted in favor of the proposal – the highest pro-percentage in the referendum. The Presbytery of Newton had the second-highest support for the proposed amendment – 70.7 percent – and National Capital was third with 65.5 percent. Two presbyteries that have approved overtures calling for eliminating the denomination's ordination standard voted against the repeal proposal in the 2001 referendum: Newark (51.3 percent no) and Detroit (52.1 percent no). In its rationale for the repeal overture, the Presbytery of Southern New England makes conflicting statements in the same paragraph. First, it says, "Reconciliation will not be achieved by winning votes." But, it adds, "Removing it [G-6.0106b] will affirm our trust and love for each other." It cannot be removed except by the votes of a majority of the presbyteries. The proposed amendment was submitted to the Presbytery of Southern New England by the session of the 147-member First Presbyterian Church in Hartford, Conn. The presbytery voted 72-56 with three abstentions for the overture. As a group, the 14 presbyteries calling for the repeal of G-6.0106b have lost 12.2 percent of their members since the first referendum on the ordination standard 1997. Their loss rate is 28.4 percent higher than the denomination's for the same period.

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