One year ago today, I found out I was going to be a Young Adult Advisory Delegate at the 222nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA in Portland, OR. I was ecstatic.
You see, when you grow up being John Williams' daughter/Paul Williams' granddaughter, you have different life goals than most people. For instance, wishing and hoping for most of your life that you'd get to spend two weeks out of your summer participating in Presbyterian polity. But I was most definitely that child.
As a YAAD, I was randomly assigned to one of the very many committees gathering at GA. Fatefully, I got put on the Way Forward committee (also known as C4, like the explosive), and then later the Way Forward Commission, thus named because we were called, among other things, to navigate a way forward for our beloved denomination...because that's not a menacing task or anything, right?
For those of you that don't know, some people perceive our denomination is hitting a rough patch. Several churches have left PCUSA after a variety of decisions have been passed at the GA level, including our ordination of women and LGBTQ+ people, and allowing our ministers to perform same-sex marriages in places where it is legal.
Presbyterians nation-wide are worried that this will cause the end of our denomination, and especially after serving on C4 over the summer, I can see why. But that doesn't mean I agree.
One of the misconceptions about GA, even amongst those in attendance, is that we go to General Assembly to vote. While this is a big part of the process, and the pivotal activity, it's not the point. Don't get me wrong, I love that we are a democratic body. I think it's wonderful we make decisions this way, but if all we did was vote, we could stay home and do that with an app or something. The reason we go to GA is to converse with each other.
We spend so much time in committee meetings to have discussion, and allow as many perspectives to be heard as possible. This is extremely important to developing the best ways to solve problems...and then we vote. And if that vote doesn't go our way, in the words of GA 221 moderator Heath Rada, we "stay at the table".
At the end of the day, besides the Trinity, resurrection, etc., Presbyterians most believe in John Calvin's concept of mutual forebearance, or, in layman's terms/my father's words, the idea that "it's more important to love each other than it is to agree with each other."
So it makes sense to me that these churches are leaving. They no longer ascribe to this practice. When the vote didn't go their way, they decided to get up and leave instead of staying at the table. And that is completely fine. I truly believe that we need to allow them to go lovingly and prayerfully because they are doing this in their version of good faith. And even though I don't agree, it's my calling to respect their decision and love them instead of lecture them.
But for those of us that are left, we can't allow our fear limit our calling. I understand why my sisters and brothers are fearful, but that is why I pray for courage. We must continue to talk to each other and engage in respectful dialogue and pursue justice boldly. We cannot live in a box and hope no one feels like leaving the denomination instead of speaking for those who have been voiceless for far too long. Especially in the world we're living in today.
So as I get on a flight to New York City in a few hours to head for the inaugural meeting of the Way Forward Commission, I will be praying that I can listen and learn from my fellow commissioners respectfully and forebearingly, and still have the courage to speak up when I'm called to (but we all know I have no trouble speaking up).
So I leave you all with this (at least for now):
"That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible." 2 Timothy 1:5-7
More to come soon.
You see, when you grow up being John Williams' daughter/Paul Williams' granddaughter, you have different life goals than most people. For instance, wishing and hoping for most of your life that you'd get to spend two weeks out of your summer participating in Presbyterian polity. But I was most definitely that child.
As a YAAD, I was randomly assigned to one of the very many committees gathering at GA. Fatefully, I got put on the Way Forward committee (also known as C4, like the explosive), and then later the Way Forward Commission, thus named because we were called, among other things, to navigate a way forward for our beloved denomination...because that's not a menacing task or anything, right?
For those of you that don't know, some people perceive our denomination is hitting a rough patch. Several churches have left PCUSA after a variety of decisions have been passed at the GA level, including our ordination of women and LGBTQ+ people, and allowing our ministers to perform same-sex marriages in places where it is legal.
Presbyterians nation-wide are worried that this will cause the end of our denomination, and especially after serving on C4 over the summer, I can see why. But that doesn't mean I agree.
One of the misconceptions about GA, even amongst those in attendance, is that we go to General Assembly to vote. While this is a big part of the process, and the pivotal activity, it's not the point. Don't get me wrong, I love that we are a democratic body. I think it's wonderful we make decisions this way, but if all we did was vote, we could stay home and do that with an app or something. The reason we go to GA is to converse with each other.
We spend so much time in committee meetings to have discussion, and allow as many perspectives to be heard as possible. This is extremely important to developing the best ways to solve problems...and then we vote. And if that vote doesn't go our way, in the words of GA 221 moderator Heath Rada, we "stay at the table".
At the end of the day, besides the Trinity, resurrection, etc., Presbyterians most believe in John Calvin's concept of mutual forebearance, or, in layman's terms/my father's words, the idea that "it's more important to love each other than it is to agree with each other."
So it makes sense to me that these churches are leaving. They no longer ascribe to this practice. When the vote didn't go their way, they decided to get up and leave instead of staying at the table. And that is completely fine. I truly believe that we need to allow them to go lovingly and prayerfully because they are doing this in their version of good faith. And even though I don't agree, it's my calling to respect their decision and love them instead of lecture them.
But for those of us that are left, we can't allow our fear limit our calling. I understand why my sisters and brothers are fearful, but that is why I pray for courage. We must continue to talk to each other and engage in respectful dialogue and pursue justice boldly. We cannot live in a box and hope no one feels like leaving the denomination instead of speaking for those who have been voiceless for far too long. Especially in the world we're living in today.
So as I get on a flight to New York City in a few hours to head for the inaugural meeting of the Way Forward Commission, I will be praying that I can listen and learn from my fellow commissioners respectfully and forebearingly, and still have the courage to speak up when I'm called to (but we all know I have no trouble speaking up).
So I leave you all with this (at least for now):
"That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible." 2 Timothy 1:5-7
More to come soon.