[6-16-01]

A few thoughts as the historic 213^th winds down --

After a hot, sticky week in the Ohio Valley, this feels like a really new day. The air is clear enough that, for the first time in a week, we can look out our hotel room and see the hills of Southern Indiana.

Yesterday afternoon, as the Assembly voted to send Overture 8 to the presbyteries, a cold front rolled through town. We hardly noticed in the closed world of the Assembly Hall, except for some rumbles of thunder. But we emerged into clearer, cooler air that wasn't the oppressive blanket of the week past. And this morning is even better.

That seems to reflect the events of yesterday: There is much to be done in the months ahead, but as someone said this morning, we've witnessed a tectonic shift in the earth of the Presbyterian Church. It does indeed look like a new and fresher world.

Why such a change? As I've talked with people over the last few hours, I've heard various ideas. Moderator Jack Rogers, in a news conference after the vote yesterday, commented on the quality of the commissioners this year. They were, he said, largely representative of the center of the church, concerned more for the church than for ideological stands on which they would not compromise. In the debates, both in the committee which considered Overture 8 and then in the plenary session, many speakers referred to their struggles and times of meditation, and the changes they were making in their own thinking.

The abilities of the commissioners were impressive, too. They knew what was going on, and refused to be bamboozled by parliamentary maneuvers. There were fewer moments of total confusion in the debates, even as points of order were raised in discussions of amendments piled on minority reports that were being perfected. That was due partly to the gentle, sure touch of the Moderator, who was able to keep track of the substance of debates, provide clarifying answers, and guide things with both firmness and fairness.

The cooperation and organization of those working for a more just and more inclusive church were also a huge factor. "Liberals" (or whatever you prefer to call them) are a notoriously hard breed to organize, but a wide variety of groups and individuals worked together to provide clear and helpful information, first to Committee 6 and then to around 500 other people, many of them commissioners, after the committee finished its work. For this week people worked very hard toward shared goals, and it made a difference.

And finally, there's the mysterious dimension of the Spirit. This has not been a week of politics as usual, but a shared search for what has been called the middle ground for our church. And it may be (though there's always that dimension of mystery!) that the Spirit really has blown through our church this week, bringing the hope of a bright new day.

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!

Voices of Sophia blog

Heather Reichgott, who has created this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:

John Harris’ Summit to Shore blogspot

John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive

Got more blogs to recommend?

Plan now for our 2010 Ghost Ranch Seminar!

GHOST RANCH SEMINAR

July 26-August 1, 2010

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