General Assembly

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending the 222nd General Assembly of the PCUSA as a Theological Student Advisory Delegate (TSAD) representing Columbia Theological Seminary, and was assigned to Committee 2, Bills and Overtures.  Our task was unique.  Other committees have a specific topic (such as Mission, or Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations) and their job is to discuss any overture or resolution that is specific to their topic.  Committee 2, however, observed the work of other committees: Which overtures were moving quickly?  Which were taking up more time and energy as the committee debated?  Which votes were close?  The answers to these questions helped our committee develop the docket for plenary.  With our feedback, our moderator and co-moderator could create an informed order of business for the entire Assembly.  

We were also charged with observing how committees did their work:  Who spoke the most or the least?  Who initiated debate?  Who requested more information?  The answers to these “who” questions weren’t necessarily individuals.  The intent is to get an idea of whether or not all demographics - racial, gender, type of participant (Ruling Elder Commissioners, Teaching Elder Commissioners, Advisory Delegates, Committee Leadership) - were equally represented in committee dialogue.  The results of these questions help inform the Office of the General Assembly about the efficacy of the process.  

I am very grateful to have served on Committee 2 because it gave me a “bird’s-eye view” of the work of the entire Assembly.  I feel that I was particularly informed about the overtures headed into plenary.  Further, because my role as observer meant I had no vote and no voice, my only job was to listen. This shaped my perspective for the entire Assembly.  Instead of listening in order to respond, I listened to truly understand all sides of a debate.  

There were certainly times that not having a voice was frustrating.   At times another individual said essentially what I would have said, and I was grateful.  At other times, this was not the case, and the debate continued only to land at a much better conclusion than any I could have envisioned.  It was incredible to watch that process, and it helped me remember that as the body of Christ we truly, deeply need one another.  Committee work is exhausting, frustrating, and often inefficient.  My experience at GA reminded me that efficiency is not (necessarily) our goal.  Sometimes we manage to be efficient as we work to love God and others, but if we pursue efficiency over love, we lose sight of Whose work we are seeking to do.  

The beauty of the leviathan that is GA is that it’s not necessarily the work we do that matters; but rather the way we do the work, and what the work does within us.  That doesn’t mean the outcomes of our work are inconsequential - budgets matter, our decisions about contentious issues matter - but, as broken people in a fallen world, we are not capable of getting all of the decisions correct.  We are, however, capable of engaging in the work of reconciliation Christ calls us to do - reconciling difficult decisions, reconciling with one another.

This is expressed in the Belhar Confession: “We believe: that Christ's work of reconciliation is made manifest in the church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with God and with one another.”  The work done by GA is far from perfect.  Even the process of our work was far from perfect - we were not always Christlike with one another.  But ultimately, the work and the way the work was done reflect our commitment to the ministry of reconciliation. Because of Christ’s work of reconciliation, we have hope.  It is only in this hope that we can attempt to be unified as the church.  

I am especially grateful to have experienced GA at this point in my ministry.  It was unbelievable to be in the room when Belhar was approved.  It was amazing to participate in the election of our first all-female moderator team.  I am forever grateful to have been present for the election of our first African-American Stated Clerk.  Tears came to my eyes and my heart swelled with pride to look to the platform and see the diversity of our leadership as they led us in the powerful Belhar Confession.  

These are moments that confirmed for me on a deep and personal level that this church is my church, capable of accomplishing  something entirely good.  But, of course, these moments are not the norm of church work.  I can reach for those memories when the days are long and the work of the church feels purposeless and anything but holy.  Even more, I will remember the energy that everyone at GA poured into working together, seeking to glorify God not in the perfection of outcomes but the holiness of breaking bread with people on opposite sides of every overture.  Our unity is not in our ability to merely agree, but our ability to unflinchingly disagree, while remembering that we are sisters and brothers in Christ.

In the words of the Belhar Confession:  

“We believe: that unity is, therefore, both a gift and an obligation for the church of Jesus Christ; that through the working of God's Spirit it is a binding force, yet simultaneously a reality which must be earnestly pursued and sought: one which the people of God must continually be built up to attain.”

That is my GA experience.  Unity is our gift and obligation, and is not defined by any lack of diversity , but instead the mysterious grace of being able to clasp hands with anyone who is “other” and confess the power of Christ together.  This must be earnestly sought with our earnestness rooted in God’s love and grace as we seek to build one another up as we pursue this end.