Committee’s action on Overture 33 used to answer five other overtures
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, June 13, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Assembly Committee on Peace, Purity and Unity of the Church voted to answer five separate overtures with a revised version of Overture 33 from John Calvin Presbytery.
In the revised version, Overture 33 calls for a task force to lead the Presbyterian Church (USA) in spiritual discernment of our Christian identity, including, but not limited to, the issues of Christology, Biblical authority and interpretation, ordination standards and power.
The task force also is to develop a process and an instrument by which congregations and governing bodies throughout the church may reflect on and discuss the matters that unite and divide them.
The committee voted to use the revised overture as an answer to the following:
Overture 01-36 from the Presbytery of Midwest Hanmi – on declaring that a resolution has been reached on the matter of human sexuality related to eligibility for ordination. The motion was approved with the following comment: That it is premature to declare the matter settled when we have recommended a period of discernment. Following a break for a group picture, the committee voted to reconsider the comment. Commissioner Andy Ross Andy Ross called the comment inflammatory, saying it would alienate a number of Presbyterians. The committee voted to strike the comment.
Overture 01-09 from the Presbytery of Southern Kansas – on entering a process of churchwide spiritual discernment considering the current division within our denomination.
Overture 01-14 from the Presbytery of Denver – on appointing a special committee to propose amendments to reaffirm the role of governing bodies on ordination decisions
Overture 01-20 from the Presbytery of Western North Carolina – on calling all members and ordained officers of the church to be reconciled by uniting in a year of study and prayer.
Overture 01-42 from the Presbytery of Milwaukee – on establishing a special task force to move beyond the current impasse.
In other business the committee disapproved with a comment Overture 00-06 on appointing a special committee to explore amendments to the Book of Order to permit congregations which cannot comply with G-6.0106b to dissaffiliate from the church while retaining real property. The comment stated that the Book of Order has provisions in it for allowing a church to withdraw.
The recommendations from the committee will be presented to the full General Assembly later in the week.