VoiceLine Wrap-up
Saturday, July 3

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with a wrap-up of the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia.

On opening night, June 26, Elder Rick Ufford-Chase, the co-founder and co-executive director of Borderlinks, a cross-border ministry based in Tucson, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico, was elected moderator of the 216th General Assembly tonight, winning a second ballot victory. Later in the week, the Assembly made another key leadership decision when it easily elected the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick to a third four-year term as stated clerk.

Earlier on the opening Saturday, the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church introduced more than 350 participants to its work in a pre-Assembly conference and led conversations on how Presbyterians can disagree theologically in ways that are edifying rather than destructive to church unity. Later the Assembly approved the task force's interim report, which asks the entire church to engage in such dialogue.

On Wednesday, the Assembly voted to expand efforts to better equip Presbyterians to witness to their faith in interreligious contexts. It also asked for a reexamination and strengthening of the relationship between Christians and Jews in the context of the church's evangelism and new church development efforts.

Thursday morning, the Assembly voted to send a pastoral letter to the congregations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) on the subject of problem pregnancies. By taking the action, the Assembly rejected a move that would have revised the church's policy on late-term abortion. The Assembly also reaffirmed the value of fetal tissue and stem cell research.

Also Thursday, the Assembly voted by a margin of nearly four-to-one to seek an amendment to the Constitution that would give leaders of immigrant fellowships in the Presbyterian Church (USA) the status of elders in presbyteries, include voice and vote in the meetings of the presbytery.

Thursday afternoon, the assembly voted not to increase the number of Youth Advisory Delegates when the General Assembly moves to biennial meetings after this year. The number of commissioners will increase from 544 this year to about 820 by 2008, an increase of 44 percent. The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta had proposed and the Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures had concurred that the number of YADs be increased from 173 to 189 by adding one additional YAD per synod.

In the most highly-anticipated vote of the week, the Assembly voted Friday evening to retain an "authoritative interpretation" of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Constitution that bars the ordination of "self-affirming, practicing homosexuals" as church officers. The Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry proposed that the authoritative interpretation, first adopted in 1978 and reaffirmed several times by succeeding General Assemblies and church courts, be declared to be no longer binding on sessions and presbyteries.

Friday afternoon, the Assembly approved several measures opposing the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including a call to gather data to support a selective divestment of stock in multinational corporations doing business in Israel/Palestine.The Assembly also declared that the war in Iraq "has been unwise, immoral and illegal" and urged the United States to fulfill its moral responsibility for the reconstruction of Iraq, which it said can best be led by the United Nations. The Assembly also urged the U.S. to demilitarize its anti-drug efforts in Colombia.

Thursday evening, the Assembly approved a paper entitled "Transforming Families," on how the church and civil society can better minister to the changing nature and variety of family structures in the United States. The Assembly rejected endorsement of the widely-circulated "Christian Declaration of Marriage," instead asking all church members to join in a year of prayer for marriage renewal and reconciliation. And the Assembly, while affirming the church's historic definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, urged states and the federal government to recognize same-gender civil unions including the same legal benefits, privileges and responsibilities extended to married couples.

Addressing a number of international issues Saturday morning, the Assembly voted to continue monitoring the relationship between Taiwan and China, rejected a move to divert One Great Hour of Sharing funds to combat AIDS in Africa, voted to oppose the Central American Free Trade Agreement, and asked the Bush Administration to rescind it most recent regulations tightening restrictions on travel and humanitarian aid to Cuba.

Saturday, July 3

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service, with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Saturday, July 3.

More than 350 Presbyterians gave up part of their dinner break Friday evening to weep, sing and pray after the 216th General Assembly earlier in the day rejected the latest effort to move the Presbyterian Church (USA) toward the ordination of non-celibate gays and lesbians. They were joined by Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase, Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick, Vice-moderator Jean Marie Peacock and the Rev. Kyle Otterbein of East Iowa Presbytery, who brought the minority report that derailed a motion to render non-binding the 1978 authoritative interpretation that bans the ordination of self-affirming, practicing homosexuals." "One more time the task is clear," said Ufford-Chase. "Jesus calls us to take up our cross and walk. There is work to be done. Let's take on that work."

The entire Friday evening session was given over to the Assembly Committee on Church Polity and a package of 10 constitutional amendments reforming the processes by which the denomination deals with cases of child sexual abuse. The amendments were proposed by the Independent Committee of Inquiry that investigated sexual abuse at a primary boarding school for the children of Presbyterian missionaries in the Congo between the 1940s and 1970s. The main perpetrator, the Rev. Bill Pruitt of Dallas, died before he could be brought to trial. The amendments are designed to protect the rights of survivors of child sexual abuse; promote healing and restoration, particularly in cases when circumstances preclude judicial resolution of abuse cases, and open up judicial processes so the voices of survivors can be more clearly heard.

Addressing a number of international issues Saturday morning, the Assembly voted to continue monitoring the relationship between Taiwan and China, rejected a move to divert One Great Hour of Sharing funds to combat AIDS in Africa, voted to oppose the Central American Free Trade Agreement, and asked the Bush Administration to rescind it most recent regulations tightening restrictions on travel and humanitarian aid to Cuba.

Friday, July 2

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Friday, July 2.

Incumbent General Assembly Stated Clark Clifton Kirkpatrick won an easy first-ballot victory to a third four-year term Friday morning, defeating three conservative challengers. Kirkpatrick received 349 votes, nearly 66 percent. The Rev. Bob Davis, executive director of the renewal group the Presbyterian Forum and a pastor in Escondido, California, finished second with 137. The Rev. Linn "Rus" Howard, a pastor in Venetia, Pennsylvania, finished a distant third with 25 votes, and Alex Metherell, an elder at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California, trailed with 19 votes.

By the narrowest of margins, the Assembly voted Friday evening to retain an "authoritative interpretation" of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Constitution that bars the ordination of "self-affirming, practicing homosexuals" as church officers. The Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry proposed that the authoritative interpretation, first adopted in 1978 and reaffirmed several times by succeeding General Assemblies and church courts, be declared to be no longer binding on sessions and presbyteries. A minority report calling for the standard to be maintained while the church continues in a period of "discernment" under the leadership of its Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, prevailed over the committee's recommendation by a vote of 259-255. The motion was then passed as the final action of the Assembly on the issue by a vote of 297-218.

Friday afternoon, the Assembly concurred with its Assembly Committee on Peacemaking and urged Israel and Palestine to implement the Geneva Accord on peace, which calls for a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine. In a related action, the Assembly called on Israel to cease construction of the wall it is erecting around the Palestinian Territories, cutting many Palestinians off from their farms and villages. The Assembly declared that the war in Iraq "has been unwise, immoral and illegal" and urged the United States to fulfill its moral responsibility for the reconstruction of Iraq, which it said can best be led by the United Nations. The Assembly also urged the U.S. to demilitarize its anti-drug efforts in Colombia, that it speak out against the violation of human rights by the Colombian government and that U.S. aid to Colombia be in the form of debt relief and humanitarian and economic development assistance rather than military build-up.

Thursday evening, the Assembly approved a paper entitled "Transforming Families," on how the church and civil society can better minister to the changing nature and variety of family structures in the United States. Last year's Assembly sent the paper back to the church's Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy for more work on its biblical and theological underpinnings and its implication that same sex families are morally equivalent to traditional married couple families. Acting on recommendations of its Assembly Committee on National Issues, the Assembly rejected endorsement of the widely-circulated "Christian Declaration of Marriage," instead asking all church members to join in a year of prayer for marriage renewal and reconciliation. And the Assembly, while affirming the church's historic definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, urged states and the federal government to recognize same-gender civil unions including the same legal benefits, privileges and responsibilities extended to married couples.

Thursday, July 1

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Thursday, July 1.

Thursday morning, the 216th General Assembly voted to send a pastoral letter to the congregations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) on the subject of problem pregnancies. By taking the action, which came as a minority report to the Assembly Committee on Health Issues, the Assembly rejected a move that would have revised the church's policy on late-term abortion by removing fetal suffering as the result of life-threatening medical anomalies and cases of incest or rape as conditions under which late-term abortion might be an acceptable moral choice. The minority report replaced the committee's recommendation by a narrow margin of 260-256, and then was adopted by a vote of 298-219. The Assembly also agreed with a health issues committee recommendation to reaffirm the value of fetal tissue and stem cell research.

Upon recommendation of its Assembly Committee on Evangelism and Higher Education, the Assembly voted by a margin of nearly four-to-one to seek an amendment to the Constitution that would give leaders of immigrant fellowships in the Presbyterian Church (USA) the status of elders in presbyteries, include voice and vote in the meetings of the presbytery. National Ministries Division Director Curtis Kearns introduced the Assembly to the denomination's new national advertising campaign, "Here and Now." Information about the campaign is available at www.pcusa.org/media. And the assembly asked the National Ministries Division to consider using Pentecost Offering funds to provide tutoring and mentoring for at least 10,000 at-risk students in danger of falling out of the educational system in the United States.

Thursday afternoon, the assembly voted not to increase the number of Youth Advisory Delegates (YADs) when the Presbyterian Church (USA) moves to biennial meetings of the General Assembly after this year. The number of commissioners will increase from 544 this year to about 820 by 2008, an increase of 44 percent. The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta had proposed and the Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures had concurred that the number of YADs be increased from 173 to 189 by adding one additional YAD per synod. The assembly also concurred with the committee and overwhelmingly rejected overtures from the presbyteries of Northeast Georgia and the Peaks that would have stripped advisory delegates of the vote in committees. It left in place the current practice of voice and vote in committee with voice but not vote in plenary sessions of the assembly.

Wednesday evening, the Assembly agreed with its Assembly Committee on Pensions, Foundation and PILP, and declined to appoint a task force to review the pension and medical plans of the church's Board of Pensions. Instead, it referred the concerns of overtures from Providence and Abingdon presbyteries to an already existent General Assembly Committee on Review for the Board of Pensions, which is scheduled to report to the 2006 Assembly. The Assembly asked the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program to explore the possibility of creating a shared equity loan fund to help pastors in high home cost areas. The action responded to an overture from San Francisco Presbytery, where the average cost of a home is triple the national average. The Assembly confirmed the elections of Robert E. Leech as president of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation and the Rev. James L. "Jay" Hudson as president of the investment and loan program.

Wednesday, June 30

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Wednesday, June 30.

To the strains of the rock spiritual "Wade in the Water," the 216th General Assembly reconvened at 2:00 this afternoon to begin working its way through the reports of its 14 Assembly Committees.

First up, the Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Institutions. The Assembly approved a recommendation from the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church encouraging every presbytery and session to create gatherings of Presbyterians who disagree on many divisive issues to discuss those issues as well as issues that unite Presbyterians so that a climate of trust and constructive dialogue can be built as the task force continues it's work, which is scheduled to conclude with the 2006 Assembly. The Assembly responded to a proposal from John Calvin Presbytery seeking a more explicit declaration of the essential tenets of the Reformed faith by affirming the right and responsibility of presbyteries to determine whether candidates and ministers are sufficiently grounded in the essential tenets of the faith. The Assembly referred a proposal from Central Washington Presbtery that would allow non-baptized believers to receive communion to a task force of the Office of Theology and Worship that is preparing a report on sacramental theology that is scheduled to report in 2006. The Assembly also approved the elections of Iain R. Torrance as president of Princeton Theological Seminary and Dean K. Thompson as president of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. And the Assembly approved a committee recommendation that the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation be authorized to study the feasibility of developing a new Presbyterian hymnal and report its findings back to the 2006 General Assembly.

Next up, the Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. The Assembly approved a request from the Worldwide Ministries Division that work be expanded to better equip Presbyterians to witness to their faith in interreligious contexts. It declined to appoint a task force to develop new policy regarding religious pluralism in the United States, voting instead to redouble its efforts to promote resources that are already available. The Assembly also asked a number of General Assembly agencies to reexamine and strengthen the relationship between Christians and Jews in the context of the church's evangelism and new church development efforts. But by a vote of 260-233, the Assembly voted not to suspend General Assembly-level funding for a controversial "messianic Judaism" congregation in Philadelphia that has sparked considerable controversy. The Assembly voted to amend the preface to the Book of Confessions renouncing condemnations of the Catholic Church contained in 16th and 17th century confessional documents. The wording of the historic confessions themselves will not be changed, but footnotes will indicate that the condemnations no longer represent the position of the Presbyterian Church (USA). And by a vote of 385-95, the Assembly affirmed the PC(USA)'s support for the National Council of Churches but urged other member churches to increase their financial support for the NCC.

Tuesday, June 29

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Tuesday, June 29.

The 14 Assembly Committees that are processing the business before the Assembly continued to meet all day today, readying their recommendations, which the Assembly will begin voting on Wednesday afternoon.

By a vote of 35-30, the Assembly Committee on Church Orders and Ministry recommended that the 216th General Assembly declare that sessions and presbyteries are not bound by the 1978 authoritative interpretation of the Presbyterian Church (USA) constitution that self-affirming, practicing homosexuals are not eligible for ordination. In the same vote, the committee decided not to propose an amendment to the constitution that would delete G-6.0106b, the provision that requires "fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness." If adopted by the assembly, the measure will issue a new authoritative interpretation that reads: "In carrying out their responsibilities under the Constitution to determine fitness for office, sessions and presbyteries are not bound by statements of the General Assembly and its commissions, regarding ordained service by homosexual persons that predate the adoption of G-6.0106b." The church's Advisory Committee on the Constitution has said that both the authoritative interpretation and G-6.0106b must be removed in order for the way to be cleared for gay and lesbian ordination in the PC(USA). Advisory Committee on the Constitution member the Rev. Jamie Pharr said the committee's action "doesn't rescind the 1978 authoritative interpretation, but removes it as 'authoritative.'" A similar authoritative interpretation, issued by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission in 1985, will also be superceded by the new interpretation if the Assembly concurs with the committee.

The Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations approved part of an overture calling on the Presbyterian Church (USA) to study the relationship between Christians and Jews, but turned down another part that asked for a suspension of General Assembly funding for future "Messianic congregations" until the study is completed. One such congregation, Avodat Yisrael in Philadelphia, has been the source of considerable controversy since it was established last year.

The Assembly Committee on Health Issues rejected three overtures that would have placed more restrictions on the church's abortion policy, including one proposal calling for an anti-abortion clause to be placed in the church's constitution. The committee is recommending one change in the denomination's policy on late-term abortion, affirming the live delivery of babies who have reached the stage of viability whenever possible and calling on Presbyterians to provide support to women in problem pregnancies and affirms adoption.

The Assembly Committee on General Assembly Procedures referred overtures seeking to preserve the Montreat Historical Society Center to a task force that is conducting a comprehensive review of the Presbyterian Historical Society. The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly has been considering consolidating the historical society's archives in Philadelphia. The committee also voted to set the General Assembly per capita apportionment for 2005 and 2006 at $5.51, an increase of five cents over this year. The lack of an increase in 2006 reflects the move to biennial assemblies.

Monday, June 28

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Monday, June 28.

The 14 Assembly Committees that are processing the business of the 216th General Assembly met all day Monday and will continue their deliberations Monday night and all day Tuesday. The Assembly is scheduled to reconvene in plenary session Wednesday afternoon to begin receiving the reports of its committees. Most major issues were not voted on Monday - such as ordination standards, abortion and Iraq - but some significant recommendations were approved.

The National Issues committee approved the reworked "Transforming Families" paper that was sent back for more work by last year's Assembly. Some committee members said they are considering a minority report that more strongly affirms traditional family structures, particularly after the committee voted not to recommend endorsement of the "Christian Declaration of Marriage." Instead the committee is recommending a year of prayer by Presbyterians for the renewal of Christian marriage.

The Theological Issues and Institutions committee endorsed the interim report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church and its request that all Presbyterians be engaged in dialogue in their presbyteries and congregations around divisive issues, talking particularly with those with whom they disagree. The task force's final report is due at the 2006 Assembly.

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations committee approved a recommendation that would add language to the preamble to the Book of Confessions disavowing condemnations of the Catholic Church made during the Protestant Reformation. The confessions themselves will not be amended, but footnotes will be added stating that some of the anti-Catholic statements in them are no longer positions held by the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The Peacemaking committee approved a resolution opposing construction of Israel's security wall around occupied Palestinian territories and asked church officials to look into selective divestment of companies profiting from construction of the wall and other activities not designed to enhance peace efforts in the Middle East.

The Peacemaking committee voted not to recommend diversion of One Great Hour of Sharing Offering funds to fight AIDS in Africa, voting instead to recommend that Extra Commitment Opportunity accounts be promoted as a way for Presbyterians to contribute to the fight against AIDS in Africa.

The Mission Coordination and Budgets committee agreed with a report from the Special Offerings Task Force that a fifth special offering not be established by the PC(USA).

The Evangelism and Higher Education committee approved recommendations that would allow presbyteries to grant voice and vote to new immigrant fellowships and to ordain recognized leaders of new immigrant fellowships as elders.

The General Assembly Procedures committee voted to recommend that the number of Youth Advisory Delegates be increased at future biennial Assemblies by adding one additional YAD per synod. The change would increase the number of Youth Advisory Delegates from 173 to 189. The number of commissioners will increase from this year's 544 to approximately 820 in 2008. The committee also voted down a proposal to return to annual meetings of the General Assembly.

Sunday, June 27

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Sunday, June 27.

More than 8,000 people crowded into the Richmond Coliseum this morning for the opening worship service of the 216th General Assembly. Liturgical dancers, youth, children's and adult choirs, brass, string and electric bands plus a variety of keyboards combined to provide a multi-media backdrop for the two-hour service, which included the commissioning of more than 200 Presbyterians for mission service around the world, the recognition of five retiring missionaries with combined service of more than 200 years, and celebration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. A highlight of the service for many was the singing of the 23rd Psalm by Hazzan Sunny Schnitzer of the Bethesda Jewish Congregation, which shares space with the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church, pastored by outgoing moderator Susan Andrews. It was believed to be the first time a Jewish leader participated in worship leadership at an opening Assembly worship service.

In her sermon, based on John 10:1-15, Andrews urged the congregation to embrace the Assembly theme: "life in all its fullness," which is also the theme of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches General Council meeting next month in Accra, Ghana. Andrews said she chose the term "fullness" instead of the more traditional word "abundance" because World Alliance head Setri Nyomi said Africans tend to associate the word abundance with Western-style materialism. Fullness, she said, more fully implies the concept that all gifts come from God. Andrews implored her listeners to "be passionate about mission. Faithfulness is not just feeling good but doing good, to recognize Jesus as Lord, not as celebrity, to live, in the words of Colombian Presbyterians as people of life in a culture of death."

Following worship, Assembly participants enjoyed an open air box-lunch picnic and then gathered in the lobby of the Richmond Convention Center for a festive reception honoring newly elected moderator Rick Ufford-Chase. Later, Ufford-Chase announced his appointment of the Rev. Jean Marie Peacock as his vice-moderator. Peacock, a minister commissioner from South Louisiana Presbytery, is associate pastor of the 330-member Lakeview Presbyterian Church in New Orleans.

Earlier this morning, more than 200 Presbyterians gathered to honor this year's three Women of Faith. This year's winners were honored for their important contributions in the fields of science, technology and engineering. They are Christine Mann Darden, assistant director of the Langley Research Center, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) facility in Hampton, Virginia; Rogene F. Henderson, a senior scientist at the Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a non-profit facility that specializes in research in respiratory health; and Ruth Rivera Lane, founder, president and CEO of AllOut Marketing Inc., in Wayzata, MN, a firm that offers marketing services to companies in the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. All three are elders in their PC(USA) congregations and have been active in regional governing bodies of the church.

And late this afternoon, the four candidates for General Assembly stated clerk were formally nominated. The Stated Clerk Review and Nomination Committee placed in nomination the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, the incumbent stated clerk who is seeking a third four-year term. Kirkpatrick faces three challengers: The Rev. Robert "Bob" Davis, a minister and attorney who is the executive director of the Presbyterian Forum, a conservative renewal group in the denomination, and associate pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Escondido, California, in San Diego Presbytery; the Rev. Linn "Rus" Howard, pastor of Peters Creek Presbyterian Church in Venetia, Pennsylvania in Washington Presbytery; and Elder Alexander Metherell, an elder at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, California, in Los Ranchos Presbytery. The stated clerk election is scheduled for Friday morning.

Sunday evening the 14 Assembly Committees that will process this year's business convened. Committees continue to meet Monday and Tuesday.

Saturday, June 26

This is Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service with news from the 216th General Assembly in Richmond, Virginia, for Saturday, June 26.

Elder Rick Ufford-Chase, the co-founder and co-executive director of Borderlinks, a cross-border ministry based in Tucson, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico, was elected moderator of the 216th General Assembly tonight, winning a second ballot victory over two ministers. Ufford-Chase, 39, garnered 275 votes on the second ballot after falling 20 votes short of a first ballot victory in the first round of voting. The Rev. David McKechnie, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, finished second with 186 votes. The Rev. K.C. Ptomey, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, trailed with 40 votes. Ufford-Chase inspired commissioners with such statements as saying as moderator he will try to "invite congregations and individuals to give up their lives to Jesus Christ and take risks." He constantly reminded commissioners during the question and answer period that Jesus calls all Christians to go out into the world in service and that conflicts within the church can be eased by Presbyterians who disagree with each other engaging in mission service together.

The Assembly convened at 1:00 p.m. today with outgoing moderator Susan R. Andrews presiding. After welcoming remarks by various church leaders and the Committee on Local Arrangements, commissioners and advisory delegates received their traditional orientation in a whole new way. Rather than a lengthy plenary session, the assembly was divided into three groups who moved in round-robin fashion through three sessions.

One session included a summary of the middle governing body consultations led the past three years by Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick and General Assembly Council Executive Director John Detterick. A second session heard from leaders of the six General Assembly entities - the General Assembly Council, the Office of the General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church (USA) Foundation, the Board of Pensions, the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Corporation and the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation - on their individual and common work. The third session included instructions to commissioners on the mechanics of the assembly and how to use the various resources and tools available to them.

Earlier in the day, the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church introduced more than 350 participants to its work in a pre-Assembly conference and led conversations on how Presbyterians can disagree theologically in ways that are edifying rather than destructive to church unity. The mistake many contentious Presbyterians make, said task force member P. Mark Achtemeier, a professor at Dubuque Theological Seminary, is thinking "that the search for unity is all about us." Echoing the central affirmation of the group's preliminary report, Achtemeier said Presbyterians cannot achieve peace, unity and purity on their own, but "can only be held together because they all reside in Jesus Christ."

Reflecting on the Gospel of John, task force member Frances Taylor Gench, a professor at Union Theological Seminary/Presbyterian School of Christian Education, said its "primary language and only ethical commandment is love for each other." Jesus's prayer "that they all may be one" reflects the Gospel's assertion that "God is the source of unity" and our "mutual experienced love of God in Christ calls us to mutual love for each other," Gench said. Recounting the group's experience, Gary Demarest, a task force co-moderator, said the 20 members were "chosen because of our differences - it sure wasn't a choice we'd have made on our own." So it is with the church, he said: "God has chosen us; we don't choose who's to be in the family." Conference participants were asked to discuss two questions: How can we continue to live together as a church in the face of our differences? and How would the life of the PC(USA) change if we saw the peace, unity and purity of the church as a given, made available in Christ, rather than as something we create ourselves?

The task force, in its interim report to the Assembly, is asking the whole church to engage in such dialogue in presbyteries and congregations. "Our hope is not to produce an impressive report - to be faithful to Jesus Christ cannot conclude with a report - but to address our disagreements in such a way that our identity is affirmed, our mission is enhanced and our witness is strengthened," said member Jack Haberer, the pastor of Clear Lake Presbyterian Church in Houston, TX.

Sunday morning is the opening worship service with communion and the commissioning of missionaries. Sunday afternoon will feature a box lunch and reception for the new moderator.