Day 6

W-H-E-W---So far Thursday was been the longest day since I have been here!!! That is why my blog is being written on Friday! And, unless I am proved wrong, today's blog will be created on Saturday!!!

One of the things I will take away from this GA is that is probably one of the most "individual thinking" GA's I have attended! While the dialogues, conversations, and debates - both in committee and in plenary - have been respectful and courteous, and while individually each commissioner seems to trust that each committee has done "due dilligence" and has appropriately done the work with which it was charged, almost every motion from a committee has been met with questions and debate. And while, for the most part, the GA has accepted in the long run what the committees have presented, each presentation by a committee has taken a whole lot longer than the time allotted on the docket.

The Assembly accomploshed a lot on Thursday, and by the time there was a vote on a particular issue, it seemed that EVERY commissioner was knowledgeable enough about the issue to be able to vote intelligently.

Probably the most emotionally charged overture with which was dealt on Thursday was one from the the Theolcal Issues and Institutions Committee. One of the overtures assigned to this committee was in regard to the "re-translation" of the Heidelberg Catechism. As I inderstand it, the translation we currently have in our Book of Confessions was completed in the 1960's and the translaters at that time added the words aout homosexualty. While the issues surrounding the confession are complex and multi-layered, after much information and debate, the overture feom the Presbytery of Newark to institute the process of revising the catechism was approved.

One overture which DID NOT produce a lot of discussion was one coming from the Committee on General Assembly Procedures. This committee, a standing committee of the GA, presented and was affirmed without discussion the motion to honor out-going Stated Clerk, Cliff Kirkpatrick with emeritus status. Cliff then introduced his whole family as he held his youngest grand-daughter who was holding on to a bottle. You KNOW that made me miss Chloi and Luci!!!

Two committees at this GA were pretty much experimental. Rather than the traditional 14 committees, this year there were 16. The Youth Committee (on which one of the commissioners from Tampa Bay - Al McKensie from St. Andrews served) and the Worship Committee were charged - not to deal with overtures presented to them, but rather, to create topics they should discuss - and then to discuss those topics using "generative thinking". Generative thinking is a model of decision making which employs small group discussion, worship and prayer rather Robert's Rules. Kathy Lancaster, who was the moderator of the worship committee reported that the experience reported by members of her committee was a "mixed bag". She reminded the assembly, howeever, of the experience of the creator of WD-40. She said that the name of thqt product originated with the fqct thqt it took 40 times to come up with the formula which accomplished what the inventers intended.

Besides the fact that this was the day on which all of the members of the Tampa Bay Presbytery in attendance at the assembly gathered for dinner which was truly a highlight of the day, a major highlight waw that someone I know was given the "Award for Excellence in
Theological Education". Sara Covin Juengst, who during her acceptance speech, said that her call had involved many different positions within the church, is someone I picked up at the airport for an engagement at Cedarkirk. Now, you all know that my grasp of directions is limited. So...in preparation of picking her up, I had done a mapquest inquiry which would take us directly to Cedarkirk. Then...when I picked her up, she said she really needed to get something to eat. So...being the hospitable person I am, I pulled off the interstate to get Sara some lunch.

Those of you who understand the directional challenge with which I operate know how uncomfortable I was. Those of you who don't understand just need to know that I was SCARED!!! When we got back in the car, immediately called Onstar for direction. Sara, who had never seen Onstar in action, said later to the group of people who had gathered to hear her speak, shared our experience of listening to voices from afar who give directions we need to hear."

SO.....I have spent the morning in my room, knowing that I will not likely be back here until at least midnight. I will soon be headed over to the Convention Center for this aftrnoon's business. I probably won't post again until tomorrow, But I wil let you know then what happens today.
AND I will see you Sunday!!!