Traveling Light or “Don’t look back"
Preached by Rev. Trina Zelle
June 27, 2010
This coming Friday, I’ll be taking off for our denomination’s biennial meeting – we call it General Assembly. If you’re from Virginia or Kentucky, among other places – that might sound familiar – because that’s what those states call their legislative sessions too. The reason for this – as you may or may not know – is because the American system of governance is largely based on Presbyterian polity. In fact, our American Revolution was also known as “The Presbyterian Revolt.”
I’ll be at General Assembly – also referred to as GA -- as one of Grand Canyon Presbytery’s representatives – formally known as commissioners. Together with some 800 Presbyterians from around the nation, we will address issues and make decisions that are based on the movement of God’s Spirit in our midst – and majority rule.
In addition to us voting representatives, about 4200 other Presbys will be there too: staff from every level of the PCUSA, affinity group members – Covenant Network, That All May Freely Serve, Presbyterian Women, etc. A glorious convocation of sensible shoes and comfortable clothes – being very practical – Presbyterians prefer comfort over fashion.
Because of my involvement in one of those affinity groups, I have been to every GA since 1999. More often than not, after they’re over I read reports about the goings-on at GA that bitterly criticize the votes and bemoan the political nature of the event.
I have two responses. First, the GA that is described in those generally partisan reports, is never the one that I witnessed. It seems that everyone is in favor of democracy until the vote goes against them! Second, I have nothing against something being political in nature. In fact, I would say that politics gives us a perfect venue for getting things done – not because of how good we are but because of how flawed we are. Anyone who accepts the doctrine of utter depravity should be able to see the importance of vesting authority in a larger, rather than smaller, number of people. Why would you put everything in the hands of one person when you’ve got 800 bringing their own perspective and commitment to the table?
This is the 219th General Assembly – known as GA 219 -- since the first one back in 1789 – that one convened by John Witherspoon – the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence. As usual, we will be dealing with some pretty explosive issues. There’s the Middle East report that looks at the Israel/Palestine issue. I’ve been getting letters from both sides for the last couple of months telling my why I should vote against or for it. The committee I’ve been assigned to – Peacemaking and International Relations, will entertain four resolutions calling for the end of the war in Afghanistan as well as a request that the Church begin a six year study on whether or not the PCUSA should become a peace church – like the Mennonites or Quakers. There is also the possibility that we will be stripping down our Book of Order to the size that it was back at GA 1 -- back to the bare essentials. This last item, the “Revised form of Government” or FOG report is either going to be riveting or stupefyingly boring. I’ll let you know when I get back!
Now, some people – maybe even some of you sitting here this morning -- might think that this is a waste of time. Might believe that none of this has anything to do with what the church should be about. But, my response would be that such an opinion betrays a lack of understanding about what it means to be a Presbyterian.
Some folks think that the best thing for people of faith to do is to stay as far removed from this evil world as possible. They’re not Presbyterian. Or their new members class severely neglected the basics of Presbyterianism. Others grudgingly accept that we must live in the world but we need to do everything possible to remain untouched by it. They’re not Presbyterian either. Or, again, their new members or confirmation class left out critical information about Presbyterianism. Presbyterians – from John Calvin forward – not only believe in the transformative potential of the world; they believe that it is our responsibility to be engaged with the world: in the world, transforming the world. It represents one of the five great ends of the church as listed in our Book of Order: the promotion of social righteousness.
And we believe in doing this transformative work in groups of individuals – not off on our own. Again, it’s that “utter depravity” thing which basically means that everyone is capable of doing anything given the right (or wrong) set of circumstances and that the best way to deal with this is to do as much as possible in community.
So while we might roll our eyes or groan about the Presbyterian impulse to form a study committee, it’s who we are. It’s what we do. We just don’t believe in turning over total authority to anyone but Jesus.
A few years ago, a number of Protestant denominations were having merger talks – so that we could be like the United Church of Canada which pretty much has everyone in the mix. For one meeting, every denomination was supposed to send their bishop or top ecclesiastical officer. Almost everyone did. Even the United Church of Christ – one of our closest theological relatives sent their conference minister – pretty much the equivalent of our executive presbyter.
We didn’t. We wouldn’t. Not even our Executive Presbyter. Instead, we sent a committee – because we just don’t do things on our own. We really believe that the Holy Spirit animates the gathered faith community into the body of Christ – and that all of our decisions need to be made based on that notion.
Hence at every level -- session; presbytery, synod, and General Assembly – ordinary Presbyterians set aside for the special task of discernment and decision-making come together to seek God’s guidance.
Along with the reports that I previously mentioned, we’ll also be dealing during this GA with the legislation that has come from presbyteries across the denomination for all of the presbyteries to evaluate and vote on. There are a couple of overtures coming from Grand Canyon Presbytery. The one from Sun City decries that taking of the Lord’s name in vain on TV and in movies. The other one – coming from the congregation that has since decided to leave the denomination anyway -- challenges the Social Creed – adopted at the 2008 General Assembly in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Social Creed which came into being at the height of the Robber Baron era. Neither of these overtures have been assigned to my committee so their fate is in that hands of others – until we get to the general plenary session which is where we vote as a body, on everything.
I have witnessed remarkable moments during these plenary sessions. I have seen the gathered community take prophetic stands that few of us would have had the courage to take on our own. Those moments have included voting that the call to ministry be made more inclusive, affirming the need for just immigration reform and outlining a plan to get there; lifting up the plight of fellow Christians suffering in other parts of the world and censuring their persecutors. Ordering studies to look at the issues of the day: new ways of being family; the private prison industry; fair pay. If you ever get a diatribe in the mail, that implies that the committees that wrote these reports were somehow out of synch with the will of “the people” – usually meaning “the people who don’t agree” – know that they are written at the behest of the General Assembly. That folks like you and me have felt that these issues are critical enough to be addressed in contemporary terms and have ordered them to be researched and written.
And, if you might be inclined to suspect that this is all an exercise in futility and that none of it really matters, let me assure you that it does. Although the influence of the church has waned considerably since I was a young person, it still has a voice and when it speaks, people do listen. Otherwise, why would so many want to shut it down and relegate social justice to the back of the closet?
And what, you may be asking yourself, does any of this have to do with today/s readings? Just this.
Every two years, the Presbyterian Church USA is invited to move forward into the future to which God is calling it. To, in the words of Jesus, let the dead bury the dead, and get on with the job of being church. To, in the words of Paul, live more fully into the freedom which Christ gives us.
It’s that simple. Will we, as the church, continue to dither about issues that are no longer even issues for the world at large – and while I don’t like hearing the Lord’s name taken in vain either – where is the concern for the vast suffering that is taking place in this state – even in this presbytery. The creator of the universe doesn’t need our protection -- God’s creation does. Or will we look to address those places in the world and our own back yard, that are desperate for the deep healing of Christ’s presence.
Jesus’ words to the people who claim that they want to follow him sound harsh. Let the dead bury the dead. The words of Paul to the church in Galatia are blunt as well: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” In other words, why are you clinging to the old ways that will not save you when new life is staring you in the face?
Let others bury the dead; travel light; let go of things that do not propel you forward on your journey towards God.
My father frequently attends one of those mega churches with 20,000 members. I think mainly because as a retired minister, he is fascinated, and impressed, by the way they go about the business of being church.
In a nutshell, they let the dead bury the dead. If a program is starting to falter, they end it. No sentimentality or worry about hurting the feelings of those who might have started it. Their only question – does this still advance the cause of Christ the way it once did? If not – out it goes.
Let the dead bury the dead. We’re about new life.
Every January my Dad’s church drops everyone from the membership rolls. All 20,000. If you want to re-up, all you have to do is call the office – they obviously have more than one secretary! -- and let them know – but there is no agonizing over whether or not to keep someone on the active list who moved away decades ago. Now as Presbyterians, we can’t do this – we don’t drop people from the rolls without an exhaustive process to which Sara Hershauer can testify! But I think that the point is clear. Too often we get hung up on trying to bring back folks who have literally moved on – while ignoring the ones who are here – and literally dying for want of a community like ours.
So, please keep me – and the rest of the folks who will be at GA -- in your prayers. And log on to pcusa.org and click the links to General Assembly to check in on what’s happening. I believe that there will be live streaming. I will also send regular updates to Dianna that she can upload to the pastor’s portion of our website.
And when I get back, I’ll report in on the ways the PCUSA is in the world and transforming the world – in Christ’s name. Amen.
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