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A Call to the Church
[The Witherspoon Society
has responded positively
to this call.]
As ministers and elders with particular middle
governing body responsibilities, we come from the full spectrum of the
church. With one voice, we affirm the efforts begun by leaders of the
Presbyterian Coalition, the Covenant Network, and the More Light
Presbyterians. They have covenanted to study Scripture together at one
table and to seek the mind of Christ Jesus for our life in the
P.C.(U.S.A.). We believe the Church we love has a future, but it will
not be by determining winners and losers. It will be determined by
seeking a third way. We envision a third way which can come only from an
openness to the Spirit. We will rely on God's grace and refuse to leave
the table until a way is discovered.
We believe seeking a third way is critical and is
already present among us.
Do not remember the former things, or consider the
things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do
you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:18-19 (NRSV)
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do
they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war
within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder.
And you covet something and cannot attain it; so you engage in disputes
and conflicts. James 4:1-2a (NRSV)
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any
consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and
sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same
love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish
ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than
yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the
interest of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ
Jesus... Philippians 2:1-5 (NRSV)
We urge all leaders and members to continue what has
begun and to help us find a third way. That way cannot be dictated by
deadlines. The direction we seek will not come by judicial or
legislative actions. It will come only by seeking the mind of Christ in
prayer and discussion together. Such efforts will help us prepare for
the General Assembly meeting in Louisville and take us far beyond. We,
ourselves, covenant to look for a third way. In each of our presbyteries
and with each other, we will gather at a common table to pray and talk
together. We promise not to leave the table before a direction emerges.
We believe that the peace, unity and purity of the church becomes a
reality as we all gather around God's Table in communion as sisters and
brothers in Christ Jesus.
William H. Jordan, Virstan Choy, James DiEgidio,
Barbara Renton, Dian G. McCall, William A. Hawley, Paul K. Hooker, Jon
Shannon Webster, Edward D. Gehres, Jr., Phil Leftwich, James W. Strang,
Mary Elva, Deloteus Smith, George G. Wilkes, Richard E. Melin, W. Wilson
Bradburn, Tom M. Castlen, Philip J. Sorensen, W. W. Branch, Jr., Betty
Meadows, Lee J. Sankey, Lynn Longfield, Judith P. Kolwicz, Roger P.
Richardson, Jack D. Hodges, John A. McLaney, Robert C. Reynolds, Jane L.
Searjeant Watt, Robert Houser, Cheryl Ann Elfond, Brian A. Tippen, Peter
B. Funch, R. Richard Baldwin, Gay D. Mothershed, Boyd Stockdale, James
H. Monroe, Philip W. Barrett, Edie Gause, Tom Phillips, Cass L. Shaw, M.
Anderson Sale, Lorna Kuyk, Richard D. Brownlee, Kenyon G. Meeks, Jr., G.
David Lambertson, Sally J. Hinchman, Carl L. Schlich, III, James M.
Collie, Ed Albright, Neil W. Brown, Clinton A. McCoy, Jr., Robert J.
Rea, Jr., Paul T. Reiter, Margaret K. Haney, Samuel M. Cooper, IV, James
A. Mays, David W. McKee, Douglas A. Kelly, Philip C. Brown, Kenneth A.
Moe, David E. Meerse, David Carlson, Wayne A. Yost, David H. Johnson,
Wayne Purintun, H. Alan Elmore, H. Carson Rhyne, Jr., James R. Marlett,
Bruce Wilson Berry, Richard H. Craft, Don A. Petterson, Hugh B. Berry,
Gregory J. Coulter, Jr., Stephen V. Doughty, Samuel L. Edwards, Richard
A. Cooper, Harry D. Olthoff, John R. Goodman, Harold H. Shin, Terry S.
Nelson, William P. Saum, Dana Knapp, John D. Sharick, Richard A. Schempp,
Teri Thomas, Dennis L. Maher, Lucille Rupe Watt, Timothy F. Jones,
Barbara D. Worthington, Arabella Meadows-Rogers, John E. Strausz
Clement, John Rickard, Harold A. Rainey, William R. McSwegin, Marvin L.
Groote, W. Harvey Jenkins, Jr., Aaron A. Carland, Gary R. Weaver, Paul
J. Masquelier, Jr., James Vande Berg, David Van Dam, James F. Sanders,
Samuel E. Roberson, Carolyn B. Stephens, Sharon J. Johnson, Liza
Hendricks, James Foster Reese, Bart L. Brenner, S. David Stoner, Ralph
H. Booth, Barbara Campbell-Davis, James Choomack, Jr., Jill Hudson,
Sylvia Washer |
 The
Witherspoon Society has responded
positively (if not speedily) to the "Call
to the Church" issued by 113 middle governing body executives.
Supportive comments have been announced by
More Light Presbyterians and by Covenant
Network.
The Coalition
isn't interested in any "third way," but in the Bible alone.
Click
here to send us your comments. |
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.
Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
Darcy Hawk
4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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