Hello everyone,
I apologize for not posting on the blog before tonight, but I have been sorting through my feelings on what has happened here over the last few days. I'll try to share with you my thoughts on what has transpired here so far...
I have been serving on the Church Orders Committee. Our main overtures to deal with concerned ordination standards (G-6.0106b) and affirmations that marriage is for a man and woman. The first issue that we addressed was marriage. We handled three different overtures on this subject...the bad news is that my committee voted 30-28 against affirming that the Biblical witness for marriage is 1 man and 1 woman; the good news is that I got quoted on the Layman Online! If you click on the heading concerning marriage, you'll see me their in all my glory. Dr. Achtemeier congratulated me at the P.F.R. breakfast this morning on my baptism into the Layman! Dave's goal is to appear in a Layman headline (out of context) this week with his belief in a monotheiestic Mormon God (Or whatever they teach at Whitworth).
The committee did vote 30-28 in favor of upholding the current ordination standards. You all should have seen the witnesses that were paraded in front of us...One woman (an ordained PCUSA minister) claimed that God told her to leave her marriage of 14 years and become a lesbian; another woman (also a PCUSA minister) told us that she used to be a man, and has undergone a sex-change operation (she is now a family counselor in Atlanta!). I could go on and on. Regardless of where you stand on the ordination issue, these people are hurting very badly and in need of prayer and God's tender healing. I was nearly completely emotionally drained at the end of the day.
Plenary went well today. The G.A. adapted a resolution to create and distrubute sexual education curriculum that discusses all forms of sexuality, but only endorses heterosexual, married (1 man and 1 woman) sexual behavior.
Anyway, enough about sex. I ask that you all keep Dave, Dr. Achtemeier, and myself in your prayers as plenary meets tomorrow. Tomorrow is probably going to be very intense because the assembly is debating and voting on P.U.P., Christian marriage, and ordination standards.
Peace to you all,
Mark
P.S. I did see Gordon Jewett here (Dave's dad) and have heard many humorous stories of certain faculty members at U.D.T.S. from their friends here. I'll fill everybody in later.
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6 comments:
Mark & Dave.
Please know that we are all holding you up in prayer along with all the others. Thank you for your continued updates.
I cannot wait to hear the stories and look forward to seeing Dave in the headlines.
I second Cheyanna's comment! Can't wait for the stories - but am deep in prayer. Even though I'm not Presbyterian, I know that this is a huge struggle with my brothers and sisters! God is faithful!
I cannot find Mark's comment in the Layman. Can someone help me? Thanks.
Cheyanna,
If you a looking for Mark's comment on the Layman try looking under "saint". Because if Mark said anything up holding marriage you know the Layman would honor him with Saint-hood.
But if "saint" does not work try either "heretic" or "calvinist"
Found it. It is in the article titled:
"GA committee votes against three
overtures affirming traditional marriage."
Mark and Dave, I know the vote was yesterday, but I am deep in prayer for both of you, the GA and the PCUSA today. It seems to me to be a sad day.
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