Everyday we can walk through an Exhibit Hall to visit many different groups and vendors (in honor of my wife and daughters being able to shop anywhere, I bought Leslie's birthday present and a gift for each daughter in the Exhibit Hall). The exhibitors have lots of good information (from different church software vendors to church insurance companies) and swag (lots of different water bottles, pens, and pins) to share. As I have wandered the Hall, I have been struck by three things: First of all, the Presbyterian Church engages in many different mission projects. It would make any Presbyterian proud to see all that we are doing in local and global locations. Secondly, I find it fascinating to see some of the unofficial groups with very different agendas in booths side-by-side. The church media often reports very heated and angry exchanges between the groups, but things seemed rather calm in the Exhibit Hall. It made me wonder if I sat and watched if the members of the different groups would greet, ignore or attack one another. Thirdly, their presence together also reminded me that the Presbyterian Church has a wide variety of perspectives in its membership. Although at times the multiple views create problems, but I think they also help us imagine a God who is far greater than any of our issues.
Peace
Richard
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Committee work
In my committee meeting yesterday we saw what happens when people are anxious and unsure about process. A substitute motion was made to replace one of our motions with another motion. The person making the motion did so because he believed both motions should be discussed at the same time, instead of separately. In theory his desire for a substitute motion made sense. The problem, however, was that people did not understand how a substitute motion worked. It took quite a bit of time and many questions to clarify the process. What became apparent to me was that underlying the lack of knowledge was a lack of trust as to other people's motives. Having struggled through substitute motions in some highly charged meetings in my work as Moderator and on the Committee on Ministry, I have come to recognize that the parliamentary process is at its best in crisis because it allows us a path to work through the issue. But, you have to trust the people with whom you are working and you have to trust the process.
Peace,
Richard
Peace,
Richard
Holy Spirit at work?
Sunday night during the election of the moderator we had difficulty with the electronic voting. About 100 commissioners were either not voting correctly or they were being prevented from voting by a glitch in the technology. We heard a lot about the Holy Spirit at work in their conversations, and I began to wonder how we know when the Holy Spirit is at work. Some might see votes not being counted as the work the Holy Spirit to make sure the right person got elected; others might view it simply as a technical glitch. That may sound a bit exaggerated, but I find it far too common for us to claim the Holy Spirit has been at work when the results fit their desires; otherwise, we find no evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Peace,
Richard
Peace,
Richard
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Worship
I am about to leave for a a 10:00 am worship service. It is now 8:55. Imagine having to arrive thirty minutes early for a two-hour worship service if you want a good seat and an hour early if you want a really good seat. The expectation of something special taking place in worship this morning permeates the General Assembly. How do we capture some of that at FPC, Troy?
Peace,
Richard
Peace,
Richard
Electing a moderator!
We elected a Moderator tonight. The headline read "Elder Cynthia Bolbach elected on the fourth ballot!" What does that mean?
First, a bit about the process. The General Assembly gathered last night for the sole purpose of electing a moderator. At 7:00 pm, the nominating speeches began. We had six people who had declared their candidacy prior to the meeting, and no one was nominated from the floor. The six included five ministers, one elder, one Korean=American, one African-American, two candidates who were self-proclaimed evangelicals, small church pastors,a large church pastor, and at least two who were bilingual. Amazingly, their diversity was exceeded by the diversity of the people they had selected to serve as their vice-moderators.
Each candidate had someone give a nominating speech, and then they each gave a speech. After those, each candidate answered questions from commissioners. Ninety minutes later, we were ready to vote. We vote electronically, and we continue voting until a candidate has 50% of the votes. It took four ballots. None of the candidates removed themselves from the ballot (sometimes the ones receiving the fewest votes will ask to be removed from the ballot for the subsequent vote).
In some ways, I was surprised by the vote. When I had heard the candidates speak briefly at lunch earlier in the day, our new moderator was the least impressive, in my opinion. But, as the candidates answered questions, she kept her answers brief, seemed more direct inher answers, and used humor effectively. She was the only elder, which I think helped her. Listening to the other five candidates move into mini-sermons while answering thier questions seemed to lump them togehter and gave her a distinctive place in the minds of the commissioners. As the questioning continued, the other five seemed to grow weary, but our Moderator seemed to get stronger.
WEary might be a fair description of how all the candidates must have felt by the end of the night. When they "stand" (that's the term used) for Moderator, they literally spend the first two days standing side-by-side at booths in a general gathering area to greet all the commissioners and answer their qeustions. The only criteria to stand for Moderator is to be a commissioner to the General Assembly and to not overspend the $1500 limit for their campaign. They also have several opportunities to speak to different settings before the night of their election.
Now Moderator Bolbach's two years of leading our denomination begins. May God bless her in her work.
Peace,
Richard
First, a bit about the process. The General Assembly gathered last night for the sole purpose of electing a moderator. At 7:00 pm, the nominating speeches began. We had six people who had declared their candidacy prior to the meeting, and no one was nominated from the floor. The six included five ministers, one elder, one Korean=American, one African-American, two candidates who were self-proclaimed evangelicals, small church pastors,a large church pastor, and at least two who were bilingual. Amazingly, their diversity was exceeded by the diversity of the people they had selected to serve as their vice-moderators.
Each candidate had someone give a nominating speech, and then they each gave a speech. After those, each candidate answered questions from commissioners. Ninety minutes later, we were ready to vote. We vote electronically, and we continue voting until a candidate has 50% of the votes. It took four ballots. None of the candidates removed themselves from the ballot (sometimes the ones receiving the fewest votes will ask to be removed from the ballot for the subsequent vote).
In some ways, I was surprised by the vote. When I had heard the candidates speak briefly at lunch earlier in the day, our new moderator was the least impressive, in my opinion. But, as the candidates answered questions, she kept her answers brief, seemed more direct inher answers, and used humor effectively. She was the only elder, which I think helped her. Listening to the other five candidates move into mini-sermons while answering thier questions seemed to lump them togehter and gave her a distinctive place in the minds of the commissioners. As the questioning continued, the other five seemed to grow weary, but our Moderator seemed to get stronger.
WEary might be a fair description of how all the candidates must have felt by the end of the night. When they "stand" (that's the term used) for Moderator, they literally spend the first two days standing side-by-side at booths in a general gathering area to greet all the commissioners and answer their qeustions. The only criteria to stand for Moderator is to be a commissioner to the General Assembly and to not overspend the $1500 limit for their campaign. They also have several opportunities to speak to different settings before the night of their election.
Now Moderator Bolbach's two years of leading our denomination begins. May God bless her in her work.
Peace,
Richard
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Arrival
After leaving the house at 5:30 yesterday morning, I arrived in Minneapolis and registered as a commissioner for General Assembly. I now have an official badge and lengthy schedule of events and meetings.
I had a chance to jog through downtown Minneapolis late in the afternoon. I like being able to choose a side of the street that was in the shade; the many people on the sidewalks and stop lights, not so much.
Last night had a concert featuring an 8 man a capella choir and a Minnesota bluegrass band. Wow! I hope all the worship services have that kind of quality.
As I wander around seeing nametags, it feels like a family reunion with all the cousins who you have heard about but never met in person. the higly visible name tags (I can now attest to how helpful name tags are!) mean you can tell whom you are passing. many of these people have written articles I have read, or answered questions on the phone for me through the years, or are people I have read about in years past.
I have also been reminded of our connectedness. One of the moderatorial candidates is the minister serving a church in NC where the Beers (they joined with us this summer) attended several years ago. I had a chance to visit with her and share their greetings (Andy and Jill -- Maggie gave me a pen and a pin with her name on it for ya'll). I suspect lots of little "reunions" will be taking place this week.
Now I am off to my first actual meeting of the week.
Peace,
Richard
I had a chance to jog through downtown Minneapolis late in the afternoon. I like being able to choose a side of the street that was in the shade; the many people on the sidewalks and stop lights, not so much.
Last night had a concert featuring an 8 man a capella choir and a Minnesota bluegrass band. Wow! I hope all the worship services have that kind of quality.
As I wander around seeing nametags, it feels like a family reunion with all the cousins who you have heard about but never met in person. the higly visible name tags (I can now attest to how helpful name tags are!) mean you can tell whom you are passing. many of these people have written articles I have read, or answered questions on the phone for me through the years, or are people I have read about in years past.
I have also been reminded of our connectedness. One of the moderatorial candidates is the minister serving a church in NC where the Beers (they joined with us this summer) attended several years ago. I had a chance to visit with her and share their greetings (Andy and Jill -- Maggie gave me a pen and a pin with her name on it for ya'll). I suspect lots of little "reunions" will be taking place this week.
Now I am off to my first actual meeting of the week.
Peace,
Richard
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Eve of departure
The time has almost arrived. I have been busily putting my notebook together and trying to get caught up on the important issues before I leave, but of course, the time to leave will arrive before my preparation is complete.
As I looked at the schedule and plotted my days, I realized three things:
1. I love worship. I have scheduled to be in worship every time we have it and to also take in a couple of extra worship-like events.
2. I must be genetically coded as a Presbyterian. I actually enjoy reading about the issues. Even scarier, I even understand some of the nuances of the process and the subtleties of the issues.
3. I find it a bit daunting to be part of a decision-making process when I feel so ill-informed on some of the topics. Sometimes I find myself reading an overture or an argument, and I know there is more to it than is readily apparent, but I don't know the back story. Or this morning I read two different arguments being made about an issue and found both compelling and written by people I know and respect, and somehow I will be part of a group that chooses one side or the other. Or, perhaps, there is a better way yet to be found.
I hope the Holy Spirit is hard at work, especially with those of us who are a little slower than others!
Peace,
Richard
As I looked at the schedule and plotted my days, I realized three things:
1. I love worship. I have scheduled to be in worship every time we have it and to also take in a couple of extra worship-like events.
2. I must be genetically coded as a Presbyterian. I actually enjoy reading about the issues. Even scarier, I even understand some of the nuances of the process and the subtleties of the issues.
3. I find it a bit daunting to be part of a decision-making process when I feel so ill-informed on some of the topics. Sometimes I find myself reading an overture or an argument, and I know there is more to it than is readily apparent, but I don't know the back story. Or this morning I read two different arguments being made about an issue and found both compelling and written by people I know and respect, and somehow I will be part of a group that chooses one side or the other. Or, perhaps, there is a better way yet to be found.
I hope the Holy Spirit is hard at work, especially with those of us who are a little slower than others!
Peace,
Richard
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