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Commentaries in preparation for GA218:
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Some
still think we who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,
Questioning...
are not considered second-class members of God's Creation, however you may
know God.
Think again. Do something.
Overture to the 218th General Assembly on Amending the
Directory For Worship;
Regarding Marriage to Make it Inclusive of Gay and Lesbian
Couples On November 15, 2007, the Presbytery of Baltimore, by a vote of 76 in favor and 71 opposed, approved a motion by the Session of Govans Presbyterian Church (concurring Sessions of Brown Memorial Park Avenue, Deer Creek Harmony, Faith, First and Franklin Street, Light Street, and St. John United) to send an Overture to the 218th General Assembly on amending the Directory For Worship regarding marriage to make it inclusive of gay and lesbian couples.
Ruling
Against
Reverend Dr. Jane Adams Spahr,
Rev. Spahr commented on the ruling, saying,
Visit RevJaneSpahr.Org for more.
Overture to Restore the Heidelberg Catechism From The Rev. Janet Edwards: The Consistory of the Community of Reconciliation, a More Light church in Pittsburgh, PA, has voted to petition Pittsburgh Presbytery to overture GA to replace the present translation of the Heidelberg Catechism in the Book of Confessions with a more accurate translation. The rationale explains the serious need for this so that the Book of Confessions can be relied upon to be authentic and trustworthy. Perhaps you read of this need in Jack Rogers' recent book, Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality, Pp.114-119. Please take this overture to your session and your presbytery so that you can concur with this rationale or write your own rationale for replacing the flawed translation. Remember, that when your presbytery concurs with its own rationale or writes its own overture you are invited to send an overture advocate to GA. We are enjoined to live in conformity to the historical standards of the church and of course we need to take special care that these historic confessions are accurate and reliable. That is what this overture intends to do. Thank you all for your prayerful consideration of the challenge to forward this action in your own presbytery. Peace be with you all, Janet Edwards, Pittsburgh
Presbytery of Hudson River Passes the Palisades NY Overture for the Deletion of G-6.0106b and Calling for a New Authoritative Interpretation Overture
Commentary on the Process and Procedures Surrounding |
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Unshakable… That which cannot be shaken. I have this air conditioner. It’s just about time to put it in my bedroom window for the summer. While I prefer to have open windows over the a/c, sometimes it is just too hot, too uncomfortable, to do otherwise…except turn it on. The only problem is…it shakes. Somehow, no matter what I do, it shakes: the window, the frame, the screen or the building in such a way – that it keeps me awake; until I finally can be kept awake no longer, and I fall asleep. I anticipate the shaking, even now, wondering if by some magical cure, that this year – it will be different. It will go into the window and presto! hum with not a rattle to be heard! Now and then, the edges of my mind rattle like the a/c in the window. Some event or situation occurs, some thought about something, and try as I might, I just can’t let it go – until it seems to have subsided enough, or I have become weary enough of it – that it no longer keeps me awake. I fall asleep, move it to the “back burner,” and hope it (like the a/c rattle) is gone in the morning. And, often it is…until it or something new appears to start it all over again. Generally, I am pretty good at keeping things in the now, staying away from too much projection and the like…but sometimes there are just things that “shake” me. Usually, self-centered as I can be, they start with me and situations close to me. There’s plenty of those:
…we all have our list of “shakable things.” Probably, like me – yours may begin with situations in close proximity to family, loved ones, friends, students, colleagues… From there, the “fires of shake” are fanned the further “out” we go:
The direction of my comments is not to directly address all these today, it would be impossible to do so. Even though I would like to talk about them all, especially about the beginnings and ends on this plane of the lives we have been given to live. No morbidity here, just the fascination with something so close to us that mostly gets spoken of when shaken, usually in hushes – even then, and then given “rest,” until the next or imminent loss is with us. I would like to do have those conversations, and if anyone else is interested, please let me know. We can put something together. Another “shaker” that is upon us and that we continue to address, hopefully loudly, clearly, transparently – is the transition in our congregation. The PNC is working hard to see that the right new pastor will soon be chosen. Questions abound with this change! And continue speaking about this we will; and, if you need more, just say so! But this morning, specifically – in a general sort of way - what I want to speak about what is the “unshakable” in our lives. |