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Is Giving Up an Option?

3 Comments / Fellowship of Presbyterians, New Zealand, PCUSA, The Missional Church / By /

When I went to New Zealand on vacation, my intention was to leave “work” behind, which these days includes thinking strategicially about the role of evangelicals within Presbyterian Church. So on one of our long-drive days around the North Island, I was startled to see a Presbyterian church on the main street through a particular town. I just hadn’t thought about it in advance, and therefore was surprised to find a kin on this Pacific island. Now on the lookout, I discovered several congregations, although most were union churches, often paired with the Methodists. When kayaking was ruled out one […]

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The PCUSA Is to ECO as Auckland Is to Wellington

3 Comments / 2012th General Assembly (Pittsburgh), Fellowship of Presbyterians, New Zealand, PCUSA / By /

Our two week holiday in New Zealand intentionally bypassed the city of Auckland. Even the locals say, “It’s just another big city.” With all due respect to the Kiwis reading this, the extent of our visit to the North Island’s biggest city was to make a bee-line for the marvelous Maritime Museum. On the way into town, international business, banking, commerce, and suburbs were a familiar sight to one whose own “neighborhood” is the megalopolis of the San Francisco Bay Area. And then there was Wellington at the southern end of the island. Granted, we had a personal tour of

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The Right Kind of Diversity

6 Comments / Fellowship of Presbyterians, PCUSA, Theological Reflection / By /

Last October, I reflected on the question “How Much Diversity Can a Church Handle?” I return to the topic, in response to a comment made in a Fellowship of Presbyterians document released last week. In the Evangelical Covenant Order (ECO) communiqué dated January 19 (during the Orlando conference), the value of life-giving diversity was lifted up: “Just as earthly ecosystems draw richness from the right kind of diversity, ECO is committed to unleashing the ministry gifts of women, men, young leaders, and every ethnicity. ECO’s name also draws from the Greek term oikos, meaning ‘household,’ used in the Bible to

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Forced Perspective

Leave a Comment / Fellowship of Presbyterians, PCUSA, Personal / By /

Nothing like a good vacation to clear the head and gain perspective. After two-plus weeks in New Zealand with our daughter, the sensation coming home is of trying to jump on a fast-moving train. An accumulated average of forty emails a day, plus the many news reports and blogs to catch up on, will help me discern what happened in the PCUSA while I was gone.  As I re-enter the normal Presbyterian life after two weeks of jubilee, I am grateful for the hard work, faithful standing, and Spirit-led movement of God’s people during this time. Perspective Number 1: New

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For Once, Nothing to Say . . .

4 Comments / Fellowship of Presbyterians, PCUSA, Personal / By /

The Presbyterian world is all atwitter about the upcoming convocation of the Fellowship of Presbyterians to convene later this week in Orlando, Florida. If it accomplishes nothing else, I hope folks across the church will take seriously the fact that thousands of their kinfolk are grabbing for a life-line before they slide into a murky sea of theological accommodation. The life-line is of two strands, at least: fellowship with like-minded conservatives who can offer the reassurance that they are not going crazy, and an organization that can accommodate a transition out of the PCUSA when and if that becomes necessary.

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Can the Spirit Work through Robert’s Rules?

5 Comments / Fellowship of Presbyterians, PCUSA / By /

Presbyterians, especially those who have been tracking General Assembly with interest the last few years, are generally acquainted with a particular method of decision-making. This method relies on orderly process according to Robert’s Rules of Order so that everybody can follow along and know when their opportunities for input and commitment arrive.  Robert’s Rules offer a helpful framework for discussion, consideration of alternative ideas, and are especially known for giving voice to those with a minority viewpoint. Until the final vote, folks have the opportunity to offer amendments, substitute motions, or points of information that help the body thoroughly explore

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Air-Traffic Control at General Assembly

Leave a Comment / 2012th General Assembly (Pittsburgh), New Form of Government (nFOG), PCUSA / By /

[A personal note: You might notice I’m a little sporadic in my posts lately—getting used to a new job and figuring out the best time of day to write when most of my Coalition colleagues are on Eastern Time! Thanks for hanging in there with me.] General Assembly lasts eight days, and throughout that period, the commissioners are considering all sorts of business items that have been introduced to it in an orderly manner. The equivalent of air-traffic control is needed to make sure the proposals can all land safely in the proper committee and be safely conducted to the

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Prospects for the New Reformed Body

5 Comments / Fellowship of Presbyterians, PCUSA / By /

General Assembly may be coming up before we know it, as I intimated yesterday, but the chartering convention of the Fellowship of Presbyterians (F.O.P.) in Orlando is imminent (next week). An interesting question came up today that I would like to address very briefly. It had to do with the intentions of the F.O.P. to form the sort of Reformed Body that can receive member churches seeking dismissal from the PCUSA.  It is safe to say that the polity framework for the F.O.P. is still “wet cement,” but given the polity document now available, do potential members have enough information

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Who Reads My Blog? A WordPress Report

Leave a Comment / Personal, Uncategorized / By /

The WordPress.com stats keepers prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 27,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 10 sold-out performances for that many people to see it. Click here to see the complete report.

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Forget Football and Politics! GA Is Around the Corner

Leave a Comment / 2012th General Assembly (Pittsburgh), Current Events, PCUSA, Uncategorized / By /

While the rest of American culture is fixated on football trophies and political primaries, Presbyterians are ramping up to the PCUSA’s early July eight-day General Assembly (GA). This year, the Assembly will be held in Pittsburgh, PA. I have a personal interest in preparations for GA, since my name has been entered in nomination as a commissioner from San Francisco Presbytery (TBD January 31). Whether I am elected or not, I will be attending the Assembly, because that is what I do every even-year summer. Business is starting to appear on PC-BIZ, and so far, seventeen overtures have been registered

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