Welcome to Presbyblog
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for coming by.
- Current: This will contain the most recent reflections on a variety of topics. The most prevalent over the next few months will be issues related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the 218th General Assembly (2008) in San Jose, California. I was elected as a minister commissioner from San Diego Presbytery and will be blogging about my preparation, experience, and perception of the issues.
May 9, 2008: Little Things Make A Big Difference
You may be thinking to yourself, "why would anyone care about something that only merited mention in a footnote?" Ah, that would be the reason for the title of today's post: little things make a big difference.
May 7, 2008: A Few Words of Advice
General Assembly is a physical marathon. It is long days and short nights. If you are at all introverted, it can become overwhelming with information and people overload. If you are technically challenged, it will be a test of your patience. If you are politically sensitive, it will be shocking. That said, it also is a lot of fun. There are some tips and tricks -- mundane things -- that help make the week a little better.
May 6, 2008: ACC recommends Authoritative Interpretation regarding transitional presbyteries
Just posted on PC-Biz is a recommendation from the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (ACC) to approve a new Authoritative Interpretation. The Presbytery of Charlotte presented the following questions to the ACC:
1. Can a presbytery dismiss a congregation to a transitional presbytery in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?
2. Can a presbytery dismiss a minister of the Word and Sacrament to a transitional presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?Nothing too heavy there, eh?
Read more...
May 5, 2008: "Affirming Our Faith"
I received in the mail a DVD and supporting materials from Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church regarding Item 16-01, an overture from East Tennessee Presbytery. Interestingly, what Sequoyah Hills sent me differs from what is posted on the General Assembly site. The materials sent to me indicate that there are two affirmations requested:
1. We, the 218th General Assembly, affirm as sisters and brothers in Christ our common faith in, and allegiance to, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; and,
2. We, the 218th General Assembly, request the Moderator to say before each vote, "As sisters and brothers in Christ, sharing our common faith in, and allegiance to, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, let us proceed to vote on the question before us."
The PC-Biz version has only #2.
May 1, 2008: Why We Can't Agree To Disagree
Moderator Candidate Bruce Reyes-Chow asks a question that is on the minds of many Presbyterians, "Can't we agree to disagree about homosexuality?" The answer is, no.
That's not meant to be snide or snippy. Rather it is an observation after more than a decade of involvement -- certainly not as long as some, but just as certainly longer than many who are now getting involved. It is an observation based one simple reality: it matters too much.
- Sermons: The texts of sermons delivered as far back as I began scripting them. Originally, I preached from a short outline or sketch notes; I changed when a number of people asked for copies so that they could send the sermon to friends or refer back to it themselves.
- Articles: These are pieces written for publications as varied as church newsletters to national magazines.
- Archives: Over the years I have amassed volumes of material that need to be stored somewhere -- this seemed as good a place as any.
- Biography: Provides a brief background and -- if the mood strikes -- a few pictures.
I hope you find this material helpful and edifying. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at: presbybob@cox.net