PCUSA GA Committee 18: ‘You’re not done yet’
By Carmen Fowler, The Layman, July 7, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS – After officially completing its assigned business and adjourning on July 6, Committee 18 (Board of Pensions and Presbyterian Publishing) was reconvened on July 7 by “invitation” of the stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The committee did as “invited,” reconvened and changed its advice to the GA on item 18-01.
At issue were the double-minded recommendations of the GA committee assigned business related to the Board of Pensions. Two presbyteries sent nearly identical overtures to the GA directing the BOP to extend full benefits to church employees in same-sex domestic partnerships.
It was understood that the cost of those benefits would be funded by spreading the cost to all plan members through a 1 percent across-the-board increase. That would raise the bill for benefits for every plan member to 32.5 percent of effective salary.
The problem identified by the stated clerk was the recommendations from committee 18 would breed confusion on the assembly floor as the recommendation on 18-01 was markedly different from the recommendation on 18-06.
Predicting how the Assembly would feel about being led in opposing directions by one of its own committees, Trent Hey from the Office of the Stated Clerk said, “Our moderator used the word ‘pissed’ in worship on Sunday. I believe that gives me permission to use that word now. My concern is that you’re going to piss them off.”
Hey then outlined the committee’s options. “The stated clerk has asked you to reconvene to reconsider your advice. Your options include:
- Saying in effect, “Thank you very much Mr. Stated Clerk, we like what we did.”
- Reconsider either 18-01 or 18-06 and answer the other one with your action on the first. Putting one of them clearly in front of the assembly.
- Reconsider 18-01 and simply remove the comment. The result would be disapproval of 18-01 and the recommendation on 18-06 stands.
Getting down to business, again
The committee took option 3 and adjourned for the second time in two days.
A minority report on 18-06 is expected.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 10 p.m.on July 7.