 Presbyterian Leaders’ Forum  Nov/Dec, 1997 A Message from the Moderator If the purpose of The Presbyterian Layman is to evoke an excessive amount of negative energy around the denomination, it does its job.As I travel from Presbytery to Presbytery, I find people incensed with the twists of exaggeration, the suggestions by juxtaposition, and the turns of omission that bend the truth into new avenues of interpretation that precariously teeter on the brink of blatant lies. The 1996 Comparative Statistics of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) indicate a gradual but consistent congregational profile that is worthy of note especially in terms of the conversations that are going on in certain parts of our church. It would appear that of our over 11,300 congregations, roughly 50% have fewer than 150 members. These are the congregations who labor tirelessly for the Church of Jesus Christ to keep “the home fires burning.” The issues that consume their session meetings range from roof repair to consolidating Sunday School classes. The fact is that concerns for the church budget become vulnerable when peripheral organizations suggest withholding of funds. As I have recently learned, one of the significant reasons for the birth of the Lay Committee and its publication, The Layman, was the desire to curb denominational efforts to expose evidence of global irresponsibility on the part of multi-national corporations. Having accomplished that, I am at a loss for The Layman’s current reason for being. If indeed it is to be a self appointed “watchdog” of the denomination, this could be helpful as long as we are all clear as to how that role is to be played out. What is the moral and spiritual responsibility of such a role? Is it necessary to be clear and honest to readers about its recommendations, the history of its positions, or its desired outcomes including the destruction/demise of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)? I know that a committee of the General Assembly is wrestling with the question of how former “Chapter 9” organizations will relate to the church, but what happens in the meantime? I will continue to champion for freedom of church press, for separation of straight news and public relations features within the official denominational publications, and for open meeting policies without exception. But the inability to trust the press outside the official auspices of the PCUSA or the inability to hold such press accountable, makes a position of openness more and more difficult to defend. When issues of the readers’ right to know gets confused with who’s got the power, it is time to regroup. The children of the Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Tuscaloosa were asked to wear a bracelet to remind them to ask themselves “What Would Jesus Do?” Where are our bracelets? – Patricia G. Brown, GA Moderator |
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