GA Day 3 - Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Committee Work I Go

Yes, today was a full day of committee work. Morning and afternoon we met...and met...and met. I was assigned to committee #13: Theological Issues and Institutions. Our business fell into three categories. This was my view for the day...

Some of our business was perfunctory: approving the seminaries to celebrate communion, approving the new president of Princeton Seminary (even though he has been there a year), approving an award to be given to long time faithful saints of the church Cynthia Campbell and Jack Rogers, approving the trustess of all the seminaries, approving the list of PC(USA) related schools, and celebrating 100 years of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. 

Then there was debate on word smithing the 500th birthday of John Knox. As often happens in committee meetings, we got caught up in the minutia of wording instead of celebrating the main idea which was to set aside a Sunday in October to recognize and celebrate the legacy of John Knox in our denomination. After an hour or more debate, we passed it unanimously.

Oh yeah, and you know when minutes are approved it usually takes 10 seconds. Well we actually had to table approving the minutes and send them back to be rewritten because there were so many spelling and grammar mistakes in them. They will be approved tomorrow. Nothing is ever a given, even approving minutes.

Finally, we had some important discussions about a new proposed Directory of Worship. Just like the Form of Government was rewritten a few years ago, the General Assembly two years ago asked a special committee to come with proposed changes to our Directory of Worship which guides our worship services. For now, we are recommending this new directory to congregations to read over and give feedback before it is sent for approval at the 2016 General Assembly. It will be fine tuned over the next two years and then put up for adoption at the next Assembly.

So those were our accomplishments on Monday. Committee work is not always flashy or exciting. But we dealt with those issues assigned to us that are important to the larger denomination. We were honest in our discussions. We were "faithful in a few things." We are not one of the more controversial comittees. Nevertheless, each one is doing important work. I was glad to be a small part of the work and ministry that needed to be done at the 2014 General Assembly.