Voices of Sophia

Reflections on General Assembly

by Sylvia Thorson-Smith

[7-16-01]

It seems to be a tradition of sorts (don't let it ever be said that Voices of Sophia scorns tradition!) that I write an article on General Assembly, using "roses and thistles" as a kind of thumbs up/thumbs down assessment of the actions and events as I observed them. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, I sit at the computer and find I'm having a hard time identifying "thistles" from this year's GA. "Everything's coming up roses" could be the headline, and so, I'm ordering floral bouquets all around this year, with special rosebuds for……

	the 317 commissioners (60%) who prayed and listened and really heard the cries for freedom, justice, and "a more excellent way" and voted Friday to send to presbyteries a constitutional amendment that would delete G-6.0106b from the Book of Order and remove the 23-year-old authoritative interpretation that has barred "self-affirming, practicing homosexuals" from ordination
	Moderator Jack Rogers, whose gracious spirit prevailed in finding a way out of no way while bearing faithful witness to the conviction that one can be a confessing, confessional Christian and change "how [he's] applied Scripture to the issues facing the church" -- the "confessing moderator" led the Assembly in "confessional moments" (reciting excerpts of the church's creeds and confessions), and the "confessional Assembly" was inspired by Christian voices of the past to speak a new, liberating word to our own church and world
	the "three Sisters" (interesting feminine metaphor) -- More Light Presbyterians, That All May Freely Serve, and the Shower of Stoles Project -- for their emerging model of partnership and for their enduring patience, interminable good will, and unquenchable hope in the inevitable prevalence of God's justice
	the six "out" gay and lesbian commissioners who raised their voices during Assembly "speakouts," reminding everyone that it's a futile, empty effort to try to tame the Spirit and bar the door to God's call and ordination
	all of the sister and brother Voices of Sophia, particularly MiekeVandersall and Jean Snyder, who embodied our witness at the Assembly with energy, passion, and commitment
	Becca Barnes and the planning committee, Johanna Bos, Charlene Heaton, and the Janie Spahr Singers for a superb 6th annual VOS GA breakfast for nearly 400 people
	Joan Martin, womanist ethicist and ordained Presbyterian clergywoman, for a truth-telling, challenging, and inspiring breakfast message and for a delightful book-signing time in the Voices booth -- we were so happy to have you with us in Louisville!
	Cindy Cushman for her beautifully well-chosen words about Mary Kuhns and me at the breakfast and especially, for her articulate retelling of the birthing of Voices of Sophia
	the task force that prepared a comprehensive report adopted by the Assembly entitled, "Mourning Into Dancing! A Policy Statement on Domestic Violence"
	the Advocacy Committee on Women's Concerns for preparation of a report (also adopted by the Assembly) on the global AIDS epidemic
	commissioners who refused, one more time, to be seduced by the annual pro-life siren call for a new study on abortion, joining over thirty years of Presbyterian biblical and theological commitment to the agency of women to make ethical reproductive decisions
	the city of Louisville (with help from the forces of nature) for providing endless days of sunshine which gladdened the soul and warmed the body of this barely-thawed Iowan, emerging from the coldest, longest, snowiest winter on record

And so I end this article with arms full of roses and nary a thistle -- well maybe, just one……not for Presbyterians, but for the U.S. government, which injected its death-dealing idea of justice into an otherwise rose-filled week with the execution Monday of Timothy McVeigh. As his life was extinguished, Mike and I stood with others at the federal courthouse in solidarity against those who would do state-sponsored killing to demonstrate that killing is wrong. Roses for the Presbyterian witness on Sunday night and to our church for its consistent stand against the death penalty.

Till next year -- in Columbus. Pray for God's Sophia and roses in the presbyteries.