Syracuse, New York

Our committee work today was fairly routine and mostly centered on the Presbyterian Theological Institutions. It included break-out sessions with Theological Seminary Advisory Delegates to hear their stories and ask them questions. There were some presentations from theological institution presidents and recognition of retiring, departing, and arriving (like the new president of Austin) individuals. Most of the action items were formalities, like approving communion at the seminaries. One item which did receive significant discussion, but was eventually recommended, was a proposal to make theological discussions more a part of the life of the church. It occasioned such discussion since the recommendation from the denominational headquarters was different than the wishes of the previous GA in last years directive. The differences were primarily for budgetary reasons and the committee approved them.

The worship continued in my committee both in the regular extended prayers and as the topic for most of our work for the day. We heard reports from the worship division and approved liturgical calendars and new worship resources.

We briefly returned to theological institutions with a panel discussion of the presidents of Pittsburgh, McCormick, Princeton, San Francisco, and Dubuque Theological Seminaries. We gave them some tough questions on the tension between scholarship and preparing for the practical aspects of serving a church, as well as the tension between personal piety and theological understanding. A good and interesting discussion.

In the afternoon we took up new business, dominated by two commissioners resolutions. The first would have required new seminary professors to sign a statement of belief based on four sections of the Book of Order. The president of Princeton Seminary spoke against it and emphasized, among other things, that it was redundant with similar standards presently in place at all eleven institutions, although he could only enumerate the ones at Princeton. Several members of the committee were greatly annoyed when, on a very close vote, the committee voted to close debate and move on to a vote to disapprove the commissioners resolution. The disapproval passed by a wide margin.

The second item was a commissioner resolution that would have the central headquarters more active in promoting the visual and preforming arts in churches. After an initial disapproval of the resolution it was determined that there was substantial confusion over exactly what the vote meant ("Presbyterian logic" as it came to be known in our committee). A motion to reconsider was passed unanimously. Now with everyone on the same page the committee began to work in detail on it, as some points having amendments, to the amendments, to the amendments on the floor. In the end we fine-tuned the resolution bringing it more in line with actions beginning in the worship division, budgetary constraints, and accounting for which entities have the proper role and jurisdiction. It was a fine test of our parliamentary procedure skills. The amended resolution was recommended and our committee's work was completed.

In summary, I found the committee time to be a wonderful experience. We had a great agenda and many wonderful presentations from people who conveyed that they care deeply about what they do in Louisville. We learned a lot about the church and the committee worked together marvelously, and we had fun doing it.

I had dinner this evening with a fine group of people at the PresbyNet dinner where we shared computer stories, put faces with names, and basically were able to be techies for a while.

The evening was capped off by the ecumenical worship service. A seminary president from Cuba was the preacher and the music stressed Christian unity. But, the service contained a very special postlude. The Dave Brubeck Quartet and the Syracuse Vocal Ensemble presented a selection of Dave Brubeck's sacred choral works. (I didn't know there were any.) The music was a mixture of contemplative and celebratory, all moving, and all worshipful. And yes, it was jazz wonderfully preformed. A very special, spiritual, and moving evening.

Tomorrow we begin in the morning with reading of reports and move to plenary session in the afternoon. Prayers for our reading time and the deliberations of the Assembly are appreciated.

In Christ,
Steve