After an impromptu Presbytery breakfast to put together some strategy on how to proceed after some of the votes in GA we headed (late) to the Presbyterian History Forum with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America.
When we got to plenary we began by singing Lift High The Cross followed by opening prayer. John Detterick spoke this morning about an article in a Denver paper regarding the gift of $150 millions and that it was overly exaggerated. John has spoken to the reporter and Stan and is confident that the report is not accurate and that we have nothing to worry about regarding this wonderful gift. We then went into a time of speak out.
Elder Chris Rhodes presented the Report for the Bills & Overtures which recommends the agenda for the day:
Complete Church Orders (04) and Mission Coordination (08)
Polity (05)
Peacemaking & International Issues (11)
GA Procedures (03)
Health (10)
Social Justice Issues (09)
It was voted on and it passed to accept the proposed agenda. He then moved to have the time limit for speakers changed from 2 minutes to 90 seconds and the motion passed by hand vote.
Committee Moderator Vince Thomas for the Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures (03) (Financial Implications) provided us the third daily update. There is no change in the report since yesterday morning as no items were approved yesterday that would increase spending.
We resumed the Report of the Assembly Committee on Church Orders (04) and Committee Vice-Moderator Rev. Julian Walthall started with Item 04-02 and that they recommend that it be disapproved. He then stated that there was a minority report. There being no debate the main motion was perfected. There being no debate the minority report was perfected. Debate then started on whether to make the minority report the main motion. The question was called and it passed by electronic vote. We then voted as the whether or not the minority report should become the main which failed. That item having failed we then moved to debate on the main motion. A motion was made to disapprove all remaining items that deal with G-6.0106b. The Stated Clerk said that we needed to vote on the current main motion and then take this action on all remaining items. The assembly was reminded that we are voting on the committee’s recommendation to disapprove 04-02 and we then moved to a vote that passed. The motion was then made to group the remaining items 04-03/04/05/06/08/09/10 into one vote based on the vote yesterday on 06-01. It was then suggested to split 04-04/05 and discussed. To clarify, the motion is to answer 04-03, 04-06, 04-08 – 04-10 by action taken on 06-01 and 04-01. We then voted to end debate, which having passed we then voted on the motion which passed. The motion passed. We then moved to deal with 04-04 separately as there was a minority report. The motion is to answer 04-04 by action taken on 04-01 & 06-01 which passed. The committee then moved that 04-05 be approved as amended. We then went into debate on this item. There was a motion made to move the previous question which passed by hand vote. We then voted on the motion to approve 04-05 as amended which passed. Item 04-07 is the last item and it was moved that it be approved by the action taken on 04-01 that was approved by consent. This concluded their report.
We then recessed for lunch with the remaining items on the morning agenda to be dealt with then:
Resume Report of the Assembly Committee on Mission Coordination (08)
Report of the Assembly Committee on Church Polity (05)
Marj Carpenter, Moderator of the 207th General Assembly (1995) presented a memorial for former Stated Clerk Rev. Dr. James E. Andrews.
After announcements and the closing prayer we were in recess for lunch.
When we came back from lunch we had a surprise. A wonderful choir of young people, Creative Impressions (supported by the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People) sang to us. Their website is Creativeimpressions-perform.com.
When they had finished performing we moved to speak out. After speak out a motion was made from the floor to re-consider Item 04-05 and it was seconded. We then voted to reconsider this item. After a short debate the previous question was called and the motion to end debate passed. We then voted as to whether or not to reconsider 04-05 and the motion failed.
Rev. Judith Wellington, Moderator of the Assembly Committee on Bills and Overtures (02)
Elder David Norton, Committee Moderator, presented the Report of the Assembly Committee on Mission Coordination (08). Further information on financial implications of this report is available on Les. He then moved on to Item 08-01 and moved that it be accepted and it was accepted by consensus. The committee recommended that Item 08-02 be disapproved. There was no discussion and the item was accepted by consensus. On Item 08-04 the committee recommended disapproval. There were no objections so the item was accepted by consensus. There were no objections to Item 08-05 and it was received by consensus to disapprove. The next item was 08-18 and on behalf of the committee David recommended that the item be disapproved. There were no objections and the item was accepted by consensus. The committee recommended that item 08-13 be approved … the item was approved by consensus. On item 08-10 the committee recommended that their alternate recommendation be approved. That alternate recommendation is:
instruct the General Assembly Council (GAC) to assist congregations in communicating to their membership the reality of changed patterns in unrestricted giving and the resulting cost implications of administrating restricted funds, and
implore the GAC and the Mission Funding Task Force earnestly to seek alternative ways of budgeting in order to deal with this changing reality.
The question was called and it passed. We then voted to accept the committee’s recommendation for Item 08-10 and it passed. David then turned the floor over to the Vice-Moderator of the committee, Pam Ator
She continued the report Item 08-06 to which the committee recommended approval with amendment which passed by consensus. The next item was 08-11 which was approved by consensus. Item 08-17 was next. The recommended approval of the item as amended. This item was also received by consensus. The committee recommended approval of Item 08-12 as amended and the item was received by consensus. After some debate the question was called and passed by hand vote. We voted on item 08-12 by a show of hands to which it passed. The next item was 08-03. The committee recommended disapproval of this item. This committee’s recommendation was approved. Item 08-07 was recommended by the committee to disapprove. The item was received by consensus. She then turned the floor back over to Elder Norton.
The Report of the Assembly Committee on Church Polity (05) was presented by the Committee Moderator Rev. Lynne Myers. The committee recommended that all recommendations except 05-07, 05-1, 05-28, 05-23, 05-22, 05-25, 05-05 (extra items pulled as requested by the floor). A vote was then taken by hand vote to accept the consent agenda which passed by hand vote. Item 05-05 was approved by hand vote. The committee recommended that Item 05-07 be disapproved with comment. An amendment was made to 05-07 by striking the committees comments. After debate the question was called and passed by hand vote. The amendment was then voted on and it passed. We then voted to on the committee’s recommendation to disapprove the item without comment and the committee’s recommendation passed. The next item was 05-11 which passed by consensus. There was a recommendation to amend the item:
To amend 05-11 by adding 1.a (6):”The FOG Task Force will release the proposed revision of the Form of Government including advisory handbooks by September 1, 2007 (09/01/07)”
The amendment was approved by hand vote. Items 05-11 A1 & A2 were next. A motion was then made to reconsider 05-11 and it was seconded. The vote to reconsider 05-11 was disapproved. We were then back to Items 05-11 A1 & A2 which were passed by hand vote. Items 05-11 3-5 were moved to be approved and 05-11 6-8 to be disapproved. The committee’s recommendations were approved. Lynne then turned the floor over to the Vice-Moderator of the Committee, Rev. Chris Lenocker, who spoke to the committee’s recommendation to Item 05-22. The question was moved and approved by hand vote. The item passed. The committee then recommended that item 05-23 be disapproved. There was a referral from the floor to refer 05-23 to the Form of Government Task Force. After some debate the previous question was called and the vote to refer failed. During debate there was a motion to limit debate to limit to 60 seconds. It was ruled out of order until after the current motion on the floor was dispatched. The previous question was called and seconded and it passed by hand vote. We then voted on the recommendation of the committee to disapprove Item 05-23. The motion to disapprove was passed. Chris yielded the floor to Lynne Myers. The motion to limit debate to 60 seconds was made and seconded. It was voted on and passed by the required 2/3 majority. The next item was Item 05-25 to which the committee recommends approval. The item was voted and it passed. Item 05-28 was discussed and there was an amendment and it failed. We then voted on the main motion and it passed. There report was then completed.
After singing a hymn there was a short break before we moved on to the Report of the Assembly Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues (11). After the break Moderator Gray announced a series of prayer
Committee Moderator Gretchen Graf of the Assembly Committee on Peacemaking and International Issues (11) recommended that the GA approve the following Consent Agenda:
11-16/25/26/38/28/37/29/30/31/32/33
The consent agenda was passed by voice vote.
The next item was 11-36 which the committee recommended approval on. It passed by a hand vote. 11-27 was recommended to be approved by the committee as amended which was approved by hand vote. Item 11-40 was approved by voice vote and was followed by the first prayer for it which was led by Committee Vice-Moderator David Henderson. On item 11-01 it is recommended that the assembly approve the alternate amendment. An amendment to this item was then made from the floor. That motion is:
Motion to Delete Recommendation 1 and substitute the following: “We regret any reportage that has caused misunderstanding of the PCUSA’s Commitment to Peace and Justice in Palestine and Israel”
The motion was seconded and when then moved into debate on this amendment. After debate the question was called. Debate ended by electronic vote. We then voted on the amendment which failed. We then continued debate on the main motion. A motion (which was seconded) was made to insert the following sentence at the end of recommendation 1:
“We communicate to our Palestinian Christian Partners that we remain keenly aware of the deep and chronic pain of the Palestinian people, and promise to stay in solidarity with you as we work together for a just and lasting peace in Israel-Palestine.”
Debate then began on this amendment. After debate the previous question was called on the current amendment and the main motion with no further option for amendment. This was passed. We then voted on the amendment which failed and then we voted on the main motion which passed. It was then moved that all remaining items be answered by the action taken on 11-01 (11-02 through 11-15, 11-17 through 11-24, 11-34, 11-35, 11-39, 11-41). The motion passed overwhelmingly. The crosses made out of the bullet cases left for each of the commissioners during lunch are a gift from this committee. This concluded their report.
Committee Moderator Vince Thomas presented the Report of the Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures (03). Ann LaMar was the Vice-Moderator. Vince presented the consent agenda:
03-06, 03-10, 03-12, 03-14, 03-15, 03-18, 03-20, 03-21, 03-23, 03-A, and 03-B
03-10, 03-A, and 03-B were removed by commissioner request.
Vince moved that the remaining items of the consent agenda be accepted and they were by consent. Item 03-07 was moved to be accepted. The motion failed. Item 03-19 was the next item and it was moved that the assembly accept the nominations in this item which was approved by consensus. The next item was 03-08 for which the committee recommended be disapproved with comment which passed by consent. Ann presented the next several items starting with item 03-13 which was approved by consent. The next item was 03-09 which the committee recommended be disapproved. The item was approved by consent. The committee recommended that both recommendations in Item 03-16 be disapproved. Item 03-22 was approved by consensus on recommendation of the committee. Item 03-24 was moved by the committee to be disapproved. A referral was made:
Refer to Mission Support Services Offices of the General Assembly Council and the Office of the General Assembly for further consideration and a recommendation for the 218th General Assembly (2008).
The referral failed. We then voted on committee’s recommendation that 03-24 be disapproved which passed. Ann yielded the floor back to Vince. He began with Item 03-17. The committee recommended that the item be accepted as amended. After a lengthy explanation from Vince a motion was made to arrest debate. We recessed on consensus and ended the session in prayer.
We had a wonderful time of worship at the Joint Worship led by Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. Unfortunately as soon as the sermon was over there was a scramble to get back to the plenary floor for the opening of the evening session. We opened in prayer followed by speak out.
We picked back up with Committee Moderator Vince Thomas for General Assembly Procedures (03) and Item 03-17. Vince reminded everyone where we were at the time of recess. A substitute motion was made. Due to the length of the amendment I did not put it in here. The main motion was declared perfected. Debate then began on the amendment and the amendment failed. We then voted on the main motion which passed. We then prayed due to the emotional extent of this issue. Vince then moved that we answer items 03-01, 03-02, 03-03, 03-04, 03-05, and 03-11 with Item 03-17. This was accepted by consent. He then asked that we correct an oversight on Item 03-19 as he missed a name on the list. He then stated the name. We then dealt with the items that were removed from the consent agenda. Vince moved that the floor accept Item 03-10 and the item was accepted by consent. Items 03-A and 03-B do not require assembly action, they just needed to be reported as information. This concluded the committee’s report.
Committee Moderator Elder Carol Schneider began the Report of the Assembly Committee on Health (10). Items on the consent agenda are 10-05, 10-07, 10-08, 10-09. We then voted on the consent agenda and it passed by hand vote. Vice-Moderator Quinn Fox then brought Item 10-06 to the floor and asked that it be approved as amended. The item was then debated. We then voted and the item passed. The next item was Item 10-01 which was moved that it be approved as amended. There was motion made to amend:
At the beginning of 10-01 add language from the 2003 Statement on Post-Viability and Late-Term Abortion beginning at line 3 with “The church has a responsibility to provide public witness…” all the way through “For any choice, we are accountable to God, however even when we err, God offers to forgive us.” (ending on line 35)
The amendment was seconded and we began discussion on it. The committee does accept the recommendation. After additional debate we voted on the amendment and it passed. We then began debate on the amended item. An amendment was moved and seconded:
In the committee amendment delete the word “supercedes” and add this statement to previous statements of General Assemblies. We then began debate on this amendment. We then voted on this amendment which failed. We then went back to the amended motion and had minimal debate before we voted on it. The amended motion passed. There was another motion made:
Insert “based on the choice of the mother” between “and not aborted” and “In cases”
Debate followed the second for this amendment. Debate was closed and we voted on this amendment which failed. We then voted on the motion of the assembly which was amended by the assembly and the item passed. The committee recommended that Item 10-02 be disapproved. An amendment was put forth but was said to be out of order. For the amendment to be in order the assembly would have to defeat the committee’s recommendation. After some debate we voted on this item and which passed affirming the committee’s recommendation. The committee recommended that we vote for their alternate resolution from the committee. Their recommendation passed. Item 10-04 and the committee recommended that 10-04 be approved as amended. The item passed by hand vote. This concluded their report.
Committee Moderator Rev. Ann Philbrick presented the Report of the Assembly Committee on Social Justice Issues (09). Vice-Moderator is Ben Furuta. Ann presented the consent agenda which are 09-04/09-05/09-06/09-07/09-17/09-22/09-23 which they moved for approval and was received by hand vote and it passed. The committee recommends that Item 09-16 be approved as amended. There was a motion from the floor to amend:
09-16 by replacing 3.a. with the ACSWP Advice as follows:
“That the 217th General Assembly (2006) direct the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) to study and update policy on ministry with the homeless in consultation with Presbyterian Hunger Program, Urban Ministries Program, The Presbyterian Washington Office, Presbyterian Health, Education, and Welfare Association, Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns, Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns, and the Presbyterian Network to End Homelessness, and bring a resolution with recommendations to the 218th General Assembly (2008).”
The amendment passed and we then voted on the motion as now amended and it passed. We then continued with item 09-09. The committee recommended that the item be approved and it was by consensus. Item 09-14 was next and the committee recommended that the item be approved with the alternate resolution. The committee then recommended on 09-03 that it be approved which it was by consensus. Item 09-15 was up next and the committee recommended the item be approved as amended. Ann then spoke to the item and it was then accepted by consensus. It was then moved that Items 09-01, 09-08, 09-10, 09-11, 09-12, 09-18, 09-19, 09-21, and 09-24 be accepted per the committee’s recommendations. The floor requested that 09-10, 09-11, 09-01, 09-19 removed from the list. The floor accepted by consent to remove the four items. There was some debate and then it was moved that we vote against removing the four items. This was followed by some debate. It was requested by the Stated Clerk to move through each of the items separately as we would most likely finish sooner than to continue down this path. It was moved and seconded by the floor and when voted on it passed. Ann then moved that items 09-12 and 09-18 be answered by the action on 09-15 and by electronic vote the motion passed. It was moved to recess until the morning for which we immediately moved to a vote which failed. The next item of business was Item 09-13 and the committee recommended that the item be disapproved. We then voted on the committee’s recommendation and it passed. 09-01 was the next item and the committee recommended that the assembly approve the item. After debate was finished we voted on the item and it passed. Item 09-11 was next and the committee recommends the approval this item as amended. There was an amendment:
Amend 09-11 by inserting after the Committee’s insertion “and all foreign governments, and” insert these words: “/or combatants and”
This was moved to a vote and the amendment passed. We then continued debated on the newly amended motion. A motion was made:
09-11 Item 1 – Strike “and distribute copies to sessions and middle governing bodies for study and action”
Debate was closed and we voted on the amendment which passed. We are back to the main motion as it has now been amended. We then voted on this item and it passed. It was moved to reconsider 09-03 and seconded. We then voted as to whether or not to reconsider it and it failed. We continued on the committees journey around the world with Item 09-20 which the committee recommends be disapproved. This item would only reaffirm what the church has already stated. There were several who debated this item. Debate was closed and we then moved to a vote on this item and it failed. A motion was then made from the floor to approve Item 09-20 and seconded. We then moved to a vote on this item and it then went to the floor for debate. As debate continued I realized that it is was 11:35 PM and we have a little way to go before we are finished so this post will most likely be posted very early Thursday morning. There was then a motion made to make an amendment:
Add words “and terrorism” after “suicide bombings”
The amendment passed. We were then back to the main motion as amended and after some debate we moved to a vote. There was a call for the question. We then voted to end debate and it passed. We then voted on the motion as amended passed. Item 09-10 was the next item of business and the committee recommends that item be approved as amended. It was then moved to:
Delete F item #4
The amendment passed. We then went back to 09-10 as recently amended. There was another motion:
In Paragraph 3 of the recommendation by deleting “approve” and inserting “receive”
There was some debate before we moved to a vote after a call for the previous question. We voted on that and it passed by hand vote. We then voted on the amendment and it failed. We then voted on the main motion as amended. A motion was then made from the floor to delete B.2.a. We then voted on the amendment. The amendment failed. We are again back to the main motion as amended. There was a motion to call the question that was seconded. We then voted on calling the question and it passed. We then voted on the motion as amended and it passed as well. The next item of business was Item 09-24 and the committee recommends approval of this item. We then voted on the item and it passed. It is just after midnight and we are only a couple of items left. The committee recommended Item 09-08 be approved and after a vote the item passed. The next item is Item 09-02. The committee recommends the item be approved with comment. There was motion from the floor to refer Item 09-02 back to Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy (ACSWP) that was seconded. There was some debate before we voted on this issue. We then voted on the motion from the floor which passed. The next piece of business was Item 09-21 and the advice of the committee is to approve the item which we then voted on. Item 09-21 was passed by hand vote. The final piece of business for action is Item 09-19. The committee recommended that the item be approved. By hand vote this item was approved. Lucas Benitez of the Coalition of the Immokalee Workers then addressed the assembly thanking the church for their continued efforts for fair pay. We closed with some short announcements and prayer. We were declared to be in recess until later today (Thursday). Tomorrow will be an early day with the our committee meeting starting at 7 AM. Good night and God Bless.
Because of Him,
Terry
