Session Request to Presbytery
At its meeting on June 21, 2005, the Session of First Presbyterian Church (Hartford) voted to ask the Presbytery of Southern New England to overture the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) as follows.
We further request the Council to distribute this action to the Commissioners at the Presbytery of Southern New England’s stated September meeting for information and to schedule debate and action on this for the stated November meeting.
Attest: Gretchen Fuchs, Clerk of Session, Terry Davis, Pastor
Date: June 21, 2005
Proposed Overture for the 217th GA (2006)
On issuing an authoritative interpretation clarifying standards for ordination, and deleting G-6.0106b:
The Presbytery of Southern New England respectfully overtures the 217th General Assembly (2006) to do the following:
1.
Provide the following authoritative interpretation:
Interpretive statements concerning ordained service of homosexual church members
by the 190th General Assembly (1978) of the United Presbyterian
Church in the United States of America and the 119th General Assembly
(1979) of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, and all subsequent
affirmations thereof, have no further force or effect.
2.
Direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the
presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:
Shall G-6.0106b be stricken?
Rationale
Reconciliation is the hope of this overture. Despite all the passionate rhetoric, rumors and innuendoes, we believe reconciliation through clarification and resolution was the hope of those who drafted and ratified what is now G-6.0106b. Sadly, G-6.0106b has failed in its purpose. If anything, it has deepened the painful divisions experienced by men and women of good faith.
Reconciliation must be our hope. Reconciliation is not a compromise of true belief. It is the possibility God has given us. We are God’s people, brothers and sisters. As God’s people, we have no choice. We are family. Anything that makes reconciliation harder must be overcome.
Reconciliation is God’s promise to us. All have sinned. None deserve God’s love. It is not ours to use God’s gifts to cause the alienation of any of God’s people. Reconciliation is not ours to withhold. It is God’s gift.
Reconciliation will not be achieved by winning votes. Yet this overture must pass before the work of reconciliation can begin. Removing G-6.0106b will not heal our denomination; it is a step toward that end. Removing it will affirm of our trust and love for each other. It will affirm that we trust each other to act for the good of the whole church when we ordain and install leaders.
Reconciliation is our hope in God. In calling for the passage of this overture, we lay claim to hope. G-6.0106b and its related interpretive statements create a situation where some have power over others. Many dare not speak the truth of their experience of God. Many live in fear that their truth will cause others to exclude them from their livelihood, from their church community, from their family. People of all theological perspectives know this fear. Many experience G-6.0106b and its interpretations as denying the reality of God’s reconciling grace. We still see as if in a dim mirror. In humility, we need to learn all we can from each other. We need to move beyond our past efforts, however well intentioned, so we can reason together and again show the world how Christians love one another.