Provocative article. You say, “I have been chasing after this COGA commission for a couple of months now.Have you picked up the phone and called Eileen Lindner?” Last I heard she was one of the “troika” of Presbyters in the Presbytery of the Palisdades: 201-599-1111; ewlrev@aol.com.

If you send her this article, I’m sure she would want to respond (if the issues are as important as you say–and I think they are).

What do you see that makes you say “the need to act differently is evident and urgent”….?

This commission, along with the change in the Form of Government(NFOG), may create a scenario that could be out of controll. At least now there are boundaries that the current Book of Order allow in making decisions within and between different governing bodies. Although some ignore these boundaries,at least they are written and agreed upon.

I see the acceptance of the NFOG as along side this commission being both equally important in this GA. They are interconnected as there will be a breakdown in order and major changes with
the accetance of this new form of government. There will
be some confusion as it is implemented.( Grady P sounds confussed already
as to the nature and purpose of these commissions)

The qestion for me is will these changes mean that the GA (and COGA) have more power to force their agenda on the local churches……
or will churches be able to take stands on issue that they support and to join with others who support common mission and agendas.
Or is this an attempt to minimize the majority making policy (vote of the
Presbyteries) and allow more local option.

There is a group of leaders who dislike the majority rule in our governing
bodies to set agenda In a way this
seems like a move to allow the minority view to do what ever they want and still stay in the denomination.

How does this eliminate the connectional nature of our denomination
under the Book of Order and the Confessions if groups are allowed
leaway to do and confess and join together with opposting
ways of doing mission. Each Presbytery could be different with a different hand book that orders their group. It is a more congregational style, but less connectional.

Is there a fear that, if this commission is not established and if movement is not allowed, more churches and maybe even
whole Presbyteries will leave the denomination? Is that the motivation
to create a commision like this to allow movement within the
denomination?

This movement -” the great emergence”??? – will be interesting to watch and lets Pray it is God’s will that is the out come.

Seems like a lot of work – but I’m not so sure that strategies of this kind are in any way out of the question.