GA Update III

The good news continues to flow from this year's GA. I can't tell you the number of people I have talked to who have said that they see a different spirit about this year's gathering. I continue to see the Holy Spirit in many ways. I also continue to enjoy meeting new people and developing new friendships from persons across the nation. I am particularly grateful for the new friendships forming with the other seminary students -- what a pleasant and welcome surprise!

Today, we voted to uphold a sexual education curriculum affirming that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman. We also voted to send to Committee on Social Witness Policy a 'resolution' calling them to study the war torn country of Columbia and the surrounding issues. Originally, the 'resolution' called for immediate action that would have called for too much haste without knowing enough information. In many ways, it paralleled former recommendations to GA that had been previous approved (ie, divestment and declaring American soldiers as war criminals). We also "received" (vs. approved) the Trinity paper with an ammendment making the paper more palitable. The ammendment called for the requirement of the FAther/ Son/ Holy Spirit formula to be used in Baptism (in the paper, it implied this was optional). I am not pleased with the paper, but with the "received" language and the fact that the recommendation calls congregations to study it (vs. seeing it as authortative) I am not going to make a big fuss. I did read through the paper a couple of times and the majority of it is fine. In fact, some parts are very good.

On a side, for you presby's, our polity teacher was on the platform today as the assistant Parlimentarian!! It was pretty cool.

Finally, I ask for your prayers. Tomorrow (Tues) we will be addressing the PUP Report, the famous "ammendment b" (homosexual ordination), and the issue whether marriage is between a man and a woman. Please, be in prayer for all those present at the assembly -- for humility, discernment, clarity, love, etc. Pray for the way we go about the discussion. Pray that the result would be God's will for our church.

I close with the assurance that God is at work in the PC(USA). He is doing something new and something exciting.