Dueling Overtures Denied
By Parker T. Williamson, The Layman Online, June 12, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The General Assembly Committee on Mission Coordination and Budgets has recommended the defeat of two opposing overtures that deal with budget priorities. Overture 01-39, from Savannah Presbytery, calls on the General Assembly Council to evaluate its 14 social witness programs in light of “the great ends of the church.” The overture rewards with greater resources those programs that are most effective, and it terminates those deemed no longer effective. Overture 01-49, from Baltimore Presbytery, asks that the General Assembly Council stop increasing support for evangelism programs at the expense of its social witness programs.
Calling for Priorities
Speaking for Overture 39, Marolyn Overton, an elder at Skidaway Island Presbyterian Church and overture advocate from Savannah Presbytery, referred to Chapter 15 of the Gospel of John, wherein Jesus compares God to a gardener, lopping of branches that do not bear fruit and even trimming those that do in order that they might produce more. Applying the metaphor to the church, Overton said that General Assembly staff spends too many resources maintaining “an overly complicated structure of at least 14 different social witness programs.” She pointed out that although staffing levels have declined over the past decade (from 730 to 547) the General Assembly Council has not acted to prune the number of programs that the diminished staff is expected to administer.
“Is pruning painful?” she asked. “Of course it is … but hard choices lead to more effective and faithful ministry.” Overton said that the standard for defining what fruit our mission should produce is found in the church’s constitutionally mandated “great ends of the church.”
Getting Personal
As Overton concluded her remarks, Rev. Kenneth Mast of Hudson River Presbytery, launched an attack. “How many Savannah Presbytery churches contribute to the General Assembly mission and per capita budgets? He asked. Overton said she did not know those statistics. “Well, then, what about your church?” continued Mast.
Overton said that Skidaway Island Presbyterian Church devotes 30 percent of its budget to mission beyond the local congregation and supports 27 mission projects. “But how many of these are Presbyterian Church (USA) projects?” demanded Mast.
Finally, commissioner James Alexander stepped to the microphone and asked the committee moderator to declare Mast’s inquisition out of order. Thus prompted, the moderator did so and turned the committee’s attention to Overture 01-49.
Opposing ‘an enormous diversion’
Speaking for Overture 49, Charles Forbes, stated clerk Baltimore Presbytery said he was advocating “justice and mercy.” Forbes said the General Assembly Council’s support for evangelism programs has gotten out of hand. “This represents an enormous diversion,” he said.
Forbes accused the General Assembly’s evangelism priority of hurting the General Assembly’s social witness programs. “The justice program has lost. The Washington Office has lost two or three staff members, and this is a great loss in our ability to speak in Washington.” Forbes argued that approving Overture 49 would restore balance to the denomination’s priorities.
Having heard advocates for both overtures, the committee decided to reject them both, adding a comment that it supports the General Assembly Council’s current prioritization process and expresses sympathy for the pain experienced by affected staff members.