I got back to my hotel room to send off my blog, since we don’t have internet at the convention center, and when I went to check the biblical reference, realized I had left my bible at my desk. So I checked out the drawers in my night table, expecting to find a Gideon Bible. No such luck. In our pluralistic society, it seems hotels have a choice of providing a multitude of religious resources, or none at all. It can’t just be the Bible alone any more. Sounds like the battle we had long ago over the Sabbath.
So I walked back to the Assembly Hall under my unbrella in a downpour, and noticed that all the lawn sprinklers were pumping out water even as the drenching rains came down. I know there is a message there; perhaps even a sermon. Just need to give it more time to develop.
Afternoon discussions included a strong endorsement of the Belhar Confession, and by a vote of 525-150-3 the Assembly endorsed sending what would become the only non-Euro confession to presbyteries for ratification by July 2011. If ratified, Belhar will join the 11 creeds and confessions in the second part of the PC(USA) Constitution known as the Book of Confessions. Discussion then turned to the Heidelberg Catechism. The Assembly asked the presently constituted Special Committee on the Heidelberg Catechism to recommend to the 220th General Assembly (2012) a new translation of the present Heidelberg Catechism in The Book of Confessions in cooperation with the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) and the Reformed Church of America (RCA) and consider including appropriate Scriptural citations and/or textual references that correspond to each article of the Catechism.
The gifts of specific members of Boston Presbytery have already been recognized and acknowledged at the 219th General Assembly. At Saturday night’s More Light Presbyterian National Celebration dinner, The Rev. Jean Southard was presented the Rev. David Sindt Leadership Award for her nationwide efforts in raising awareness of the necessity of MLP churches.
Elder Commissioner Peggy MacLeod challenged the nomination of Elder Arnold Rots for the GA Permanent Judicial Commission, and was elected at the Thursday morning business meeting by a 56% majority. Minister Commissioner Burns Stanfield offered a Commissioner’s Resolution on the usury issue highlighted by the dedicated work of our local Greater Boston Inter-faith Organization. I’ll keep you posted as the Assembly considers this.
’till my next blog, keep the faith, and let the faith keep you. shalom
wayne
Wayne, thanks for taking the time to write these helpful updates– in particular the details about our own Presbytery of Boston commissioners. We are praying for you all and giving thanks to God for your dedication and commitment to Christ and Christ’s work in the world.