Category Archives: 219th GA

Change in plans

Posted on July 1, 2010 by presbybob

One of the realities of General Assemblies is that they never unfold like you expect. There is always a change in plans. For me, the change comes before the Assembly itself. I will not be coming to Minneapolis for the … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #19: Health Issues

Posted on June 30, 2010 by presbybob

Last, but not least, is the committee to which I have been assigned: Assembly Committee #19, Health Issues. There are six – SIX! – items for our consideration. I’m not really sure how we’re going to have time to handle … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #18: Board of Pensions, Foundation, Presbyterian Publishing

Posted on June 30, 2010 by presbybob

There is really only one hot issue in Assembly Committee #18: two overtures (Items 18-01 and 18-06) to have the Board of Pensions extend benefits to same-gender “spouses” and domestic partners. There is one item that has interest probably only … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #17: Review of GA Permanent Committees

Posted on June 29, 2010 by presbybob

It is tough to review the business when pc-biz is down. (Update: sometime between this morning and now, pc-biz is back on-line). (I am writing on Tuesday morning. pc-biz is generating a page that says: Bad Request (Invalid Hostname) The … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #16: Theological Issues and Institutions

Posted on June 28, 2010 by presbybob

Baptism, Belhar to Heidelberg; Assembly Committee #16 would be an interesting committee to serve. It sounds like an infield, doesn’t it? “Ground ball to Baptism, flips to Belhar and over to Heidelberg for the double-play.” Ok, maybe not. Looking at … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee 15: Church Growth, Christian Education, and PILP

Posted on June 28, 2010 by presbybob

As much as I have tried, there is nothing in Assembly Committee 15 I am going to follow. A third of their action items are related to establishing union congregations or transferring a congregation to a different presbytery. Important? Yes. … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #14: Middle East Peacemaking Issues

Posted on June 24, 2010 by presbybob

I have received more mail — pro and con — regarding the business in Assembly Committee #14: Middle East Peacemaking Issues than the advocacy pieces for all the other business combined. Following prior Assemblies I have received more angry phone … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #13: Peacemaking and International Issues

Posted on June 23, 2010 by presbybob

Assembly Committee #13 is a tough one for me to review. On the one hand, I do not want to suggest that the war in Afghanistan is not important, or issues of peacemaking in Colombia or Sudan are irrelevant. On … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee 12: Civil Unions and Marriage Issues

Posted on June 22, 2010 by presbybob

This is going to be a bit of a different take on the business before Committee 12: Civil Unions and Marriage Issues. The business is pretty limited: do we uphold the definition of marriage as being between a man and … Continue reading →

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Assembly Committee #11: Social Justice Issues B: the Exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the World

Posted on June 17, 2010 by presbybob

This is not an Assembly Committee with business that gets me too excited. There are nine items. Item 11-01 on “Lifting Up the Call to Restore the Creation.” No new money required, it “1. Lifts up; 2. Commends; and, 3. … Continue reading →

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