219 th G.A. Action

2. 219th G.A. Action • Approved report with amendments • See PC-Biz item 07-01

3. Form of Government Task Force Members Elder Diana J. Barber Elder Cynthia J. Bolbach *Rev. Grace Bowen **Elder Sharon Davison Rev. Gemechisa Guja Rev. Paul K. Hooker *Elder Carol Hunley Rev. James H. Y. Kim Rev. Neal E. Lloyd Rev. Paige M. McRight Rev. Stephen W. Smith *Rev. Daniel S. Williams *added to the original task force by the 218th GA **served on the original task force (2006-2008)

4. The Vision The mission of the Church: participate in God’s mission in Christ by the power of the Spirit. Foundations, F-1.01

5. Wherever Christ is, there is the Church. Ignatius of Antioch

9. interrelationships standards functions

10. The PC(USA) Constitution Part One Part Two

11. The PC(USA) Constitution Form of Government Directory for Worship Rules of Discipline

12. The PC(USA) Constitution Foundations of Presbyterian Polity Form of Government Directory for Worship Rules of Discipline

13. Why a new Form of Government? • Connects our belief with our actions • Clarifies standards for the whole church • Provides flexibility appropriate to each context

14. Revision History 1988 1989 1993 1996 1997 2000 2001 2002 2006 2008 1983 2010

15. Foundational polity preserved (G-1—G-4) • Congregations: missional communities • Presbyteries: central governing unit • Flexibility at all levels • Structures appropriate to mission • General introduction, footnote #1

16. ordination standards: G-6.0106b = G-2.0104b G-8.0201 = G-4.0203 property trust clause:

17. Churchwide study of proposed revision Receive feedback Revise proposal Deadline: October 15, 2009

18. Since June 2008 • Interim revision • Churchwide study: Oct. 2008 – June 2009 • Feedback: • Responses during churchwide study • Travel by task force members • Review and critique by selected individuals • Final report submitted Sept. 1, 2009

19. Feedback received: presbyteries Presbyteries Abington Cascades Central Florida Central Nebraska Charleston-Atlantic Cherokee Chicago Detroit Des Moines Donegal East Iowa East Tennessee Eastern Virginia Eastminster Flint River Foothills Giddings-Lovejoy Grace Grand Canyon Great Rivers Greater Atlanta Homestead Hudson River Huntingdon James John Calvin John Knox Presbytery Lackawanna LeHigh Minnesota Valleys Mississippi Missouri River Valley National Capital continued

20. Feedback received: presbyteries Presbyteries New Covenant New Harmony New Hope North Central Iowa Northeast Georgia Northern Waters Olympia Palo Duro Peaks Philadelphia Pittsburgh Plains and Peaks Prospect Hill Providence Pueblo Redstone San Diego San Fernando Santa Fe Savannah Seattle Shenandoah Sheppards and Lapsley South Dakota Southern Kansas Stockton Tampa Bay Trinity Twin Cities Area Western North Carolina West Virginia Winnebago Yukon continued

21. Feedback received: synods and events Synods Covenant Mid America Mid Atlantic Lakes and Prairies Southern California and Hawaii Southwest Sun Events Covenant Network Conference Eastern Panhandle Mission Community Fall Polity Conference Presbyterian Coalition Gathering Moderators’ Conference The Big Tent (Racial Ethnic Convocation and more) continued

22. Feedback received: groups Groups Advisory Committee on Women's Concerns Advisory Committee on Social Witness Advocacy Committee on Racial Ethnic Concerns Association of Executive Presbyters Association of Presbyterian Church Educators Association of Stated Clerks Committee on the Office of the General Assembly Fuller Theological Seminary General Assembly Committee on Representation General Assembly Mission Council Presbyterian Association of Musicians Presbyterians for Renewal Presbyterian Historical Society Presbyterian Women (Synod of Mid Atlantic) San Francisco Theological Seminary - Southern California Voices of Orthodox Women continued

23. Feedback received: congregations Congregations Chestnut Level Presby. Church (PA) Oxford Presby. Church Covenant Presby. Church (KS) Paoli Presby. Church (PA) Covenant Presby. Church (PA) Pratt Presby. Church Eastminster Presby. Church, Columbus (GA) Elkins Park Presby. Church (PA) First Presby. Church, Ada (OK) First Presby. Church, Belleville (WA) First Presby. Church, Derby, PA First Presby. Church, Marietta (GA) First Presby. Church, Mesa (AZ) First Presby. Church, Murraysville (PA) First Presby. Church, San Bernardino (CA) Frankford Presby. Church (PA) John Calvin Presby. Church (AZ) Morrisville Presby. Church (PA)

24. Foundations of Presbyterian Polity • Nearly all of the current first four chapters preserved • Similar themes grouped together

25. Foundations of Presbyterian Polity The Mission of the Church • God’s mission in Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church • Great Ends of the Church • “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic” • Notes of Reformed Church • Commitment to unity in diversity

26. Foundations of Presbyterian Polity The Church and Its Confessions • Current G-2.0000, almost verbatim • The confessions in the life of the PC(USA)

27. Foundations of Presbyterian Polity Principles of Order and Government • Historic Principles of Church Order (1789) • Historic Principles of Church Government (1797)

28. Form of Government 14 6

29. Form of Government Chapter 1: Congregations and Membership

30. Form of Government Chapter 2: Ordered Ministries, Commissioning, and Certification all called; some ordered deacons, ruling and teaching elders commissioned ruling elders

31. Form of Government Chapter 3: Councils Proclamation of the Word Administration of the Sacraments Ecclesiastical discipline

32. Form of Government Chapter 4: Church and Civil Authorities

33. Form of Government Chapter 5: Ecumenicity and Union

34. Form of Government Chapter 6: Interpreting and Amending the Constitution Amend Interpret

35. Questions from the Road

36. Do we have to write new session/presbytery manuals? • current manuals remain in effect until changed by council • opportunity to review and refresh

37. How can we know if ministers who transfer are qualified if presbytery structures differ? • ordination standards have not changed • presbytery exam procedures already vary widely

38. What happens to people who are no longer active if we do not have an inactive roll? • all are still welcomed • sessions may continue to keep an inactive roll if desired

39. What about Authoritative Interpretations? • determined only by the General Assembly • See 219th GA action on item 07-11 (PC-Biz)

40. What’s Next? • Presbyteries vote between now and late May 2011 • If majority (87) approves, becomes part of constitution on July 10, 2011 • [One year after end of 219th G.A.]

41. A Litany for the Church Leader:The mission of God in Christ gives shape and substance to the life and work of the church. In Christ, the Church participates in God’s mission for the transformation of creation and humanity. All: proclaiming to all people the good news of God’s love; (continued)

42. A Litany for the Church Men:offering to all people the grace of God at Font and Table; Women: calling all people to discipleship in Christ. All: We have no higher goal in life than to glorify and enjoy God now and forever, living in covenant fellowship with God and participating in God’s mission. (continued)

43. A Litany for the Church Leader:The Church’s ministry is a gift from Jesus Christ to the whole Church. All: Christ alone rules, calls, teaches, and uses the Church as he wills. Women: Exercising his authority by the ministry of women and men; Men:for the establishment and extension of God’s new creation. (continued)

44. A Litany for the Church All: In affirming with the earliest Christians that Jesus is Lord, the Church confesses that he is its hope, and that the Church, as Christ’s body is bound to his authority and thus free to live in the lively, joyous reality of the grace of God. (adapted from the proposed Foundations of Presbyterian Polity and the proposed Book of Order)