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 General Assembly 2004
PARO |
PARO hosts first GA events
[7-6-04]
For the first time in its history, PARO (Presbyterians Affirming
Reproductive Options) held public events during the General Assembly, and
the Rev. Jude Michaels, a member of the PARO leadership team, called them "a
socko success."On Sunday, June 27, about 85 people
attended a barbecue dinner at Second Presbyterian Church, celebrating the
strong pro-choice stance of the Presbyterian Church. It provided a chance
for conversation with PARO board members and Dr. Lee Carhart, a Nebraska
physician and a leading defender of women's choice.
On Tuesday evening, the 29th, Dr. Carhart spoke
at a dessert reception on "Choice: What Is At Stake? What Can We Lose?" His
talk was followed by what Michaels called "a spirited discussion about
protecting the church's pro-choice position" against the numerous assaults
on it from the right. One issue at this Assembly, she said, was the need to
support women's freedom to use emergency contraception - and that was one
battle lost to the anti-choice forces. This is one example, she added, of
how conservatives are "nibbling away at choice."
Michaels expressed her concern to "get the word out about
PARO," a source of resources and support for women dealing with difficult
choices. Part of the group's role at GA, she added, is a "ministry of
presence," listening to many people with hard stories to tell, and
supporting others in preparing to give their personal testimony at the open
hearings of GA committee. |
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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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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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