DETROIT, Mich. — The Mid-Councils Issues Committee voted to refer an overture calling for improvements in procedures for candidates moving between mid-councils to the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) Monday night.
Business Item 05-09 called for the 221st General Assembly to direct the Office of Vocations of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Office of the Stated Clerk to study the effectiveness of mid-council to mid-council reference checks and clearance procedures and consider ways to improve the procedures for candidates moving between mid councils.
The committee voted 66-0 in favor of the proposal.
The results of this study, with its recommendations, proposed standards and expectations, will be presented to the 222nd General Assembly (2016).
Belinda Sanders, overture advocate from Middle Tennessee Presbytery, explained that there had been at least two incidents in the last 12 months where critical information was not shared about a candidate moving from one presbytery to another by executive presbyters.
“There was no mention of the infraction. The candidate was just passed along with an enthusiastic endorsement,” she said. “We have learned it is becoming a pervasive practice for some executive presbyters to pass along a problem candidate.
“We don’t have a code of ethics for EP’s and general presbyters. There is no standard. That’s troubling. It’s a concern.”
Jim Wilson, a member of COGA, spoke on the matter and advised that it be referred to COGA with instructions to design an appropriate study and to report recommendations the 222nd GA.
“We believe this recommendation raises an urgent point, and we suggest the overture be referred to COGA so a study can be carefully implemented,” he said, noting that COGA has the resources of the Office of Vocations and the Office of the Stated Clerk at its disposal to design and implement a study for the proper course of action.
Bobbi White, general presbyter for Presbytery of Western North Carolina, acknowledged the experience Sanders referenced but noted that such actions are “not common place.”
But Don Frankland, vice-moderator of the committee, observed the need to put procedures in place to make sure mid-councils receive appropriate information on potential candidates.
“We need to make the sure the information we get about candidates is accurate and complete,” he said.
Mike Fritz, a commissioner from Great Rivers Presbytery, asked if the matter was not grave enough to have a result and action sooner than the 2016 General Assembly.
Wilson responded that one option would be to raise the issue at the annual polity conference, allowing the design process for the study to commence along with education about the matter as early as this fall.
The recommendation will go before the full assembly for consideration later this week.