Arkansas Presbytery educating members on 08-B issues
By Edward Terry, The Layman, April 17, 2009
Unlike many other presbyteries, controversy has not followed the Presbytery of Arkansas’ vote to support Amendment 08-B. But there was, however, some confusion among some congregations and individual members.
The presbytery switched sides on Feb. 21 in the growing movement to remove the fidelity/chastity standard from the PCUSA’s Constitution. The Rev. Sallie Watson, the interim general presbyter, has since met with several congregations to clear up the confusion that followed.
“Some folks think that our vote by itself changed The Book of Order, which of course it hasn’t,” she said. “I’ve used it as an opportunity to teach.”
Even though the Presbytery of Arkansas’ vote on Amendment 08-B doesn’t enact change to the church’s constitution, it does signal a continuing shift among presbyteries. The issue will be up for ratification by the General Assembly July 3-10, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Watson admits the Arkansas vote didn’t go exactly as she expected.
“I was quite surprised at the margin by which it passed,” she said, adding that there was no protest or celebration at the stated meeting, which took place at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark. “We feel fortunate that we’ve been able to stay together even though we don’t all agree. I pray it won’t (change).”
Arkansas is one of 26 presbyteries that affirmed the ordination requirement in 2001 but opposed it in this referendum. Near the end of the fourth referendum on the issue, the latest tally is 82 against the amendment and 65 for it. In the coming months, the 26 remaining presbyteries are scheduled to vote. Opponents of Amendment 08-B need only five more “no” votes to defeat it.
Watson said the voting body had a process of discernment that included singing hymns and prayer prior to voting. The final tally was 116-64, nearly a two-to-one margin. In 2001, the Presbytery of Arkansas opposed Amendment A, which called for repeal of G-6.01066, with a razor thin 92-96 margin.
According to the meeting minutes, nine speakers supported the amendment and four opposed it. One commissioner moved that no action be taken, but the motion failed. Eight Youth Advisory Delegates voted against the proposed amendment and 19 voted for it. The body voted by written ballot with tallying offsite.
Watson would not say how she voted, adding that the presbytery will not take a public stance and she doesn’t want the issue to become its focus.
“One of the things I love about Arkansas Presbytery is that we have a long history of going along with the denomination,” Watson said. “Although we voted in the affirmative on Amendment 08-B, we will stay with The Book of Order and go with the denomination.”
The Rev. Cathy Ulrich, the presbytery’s acting stated clerk and co-pastor of Central Presbyterian in Fort Smith, Ark., shares the desire to move on.
As for the issue being a distraction, Ulrich isn’t worried.
“I think that the General Assembly acted the way it felt was the right thing to do, and the presbyteries will vote in the way they feel led to do,” she said. “The church will continue in the manner it feels led to do.”
The issue immediately grabbed headlines in the state’s largest newspaper, and was back in the news the following day when an openly gay man was nominated as a deacon at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Ark. The church’s elders sustained the nomination by a 21-4 vote (one abstention) on March 22. Watson said the timing of Second Presbyterian’s vote had nothing to do with the presbytery’s vote a day earlier.
At this point, there have been no complaints filed against Second Presbyterian nor any congregations threatening to leave the presbytery in protest, Watson said. She’s thankful for the presbytery’s history of being able to disagree on an issue, yet continue doing Christ’s work.
“It’s all about our relationship with God and each other – and I do mean with each other,” Watson said.