Mom of Presbytery?

Some of my regular readers are aware that I currently serve on the General Council of my presbytery (New Covenant). A couple of weeks ago, I received a call from the chair of the Presbytery's Nominating Committee asking me to agree to nomination as Moderator-Elect--for the year 2008. This despite the fact that he told me he read this blog--and proved it by asking me some questions about posts that were long buried in the archives! Under our presbytery structure, that means I would serve as Moderator of General Council in 2007 and then become Moderator of Presbytery the following year.

Here are some of the things that I pondered as I made this decision.

By 2008 the denomination could be coming apart at the seams. Or not. The New Wineskins group appears to be morphing into an alternative denominational structure. It's not clear what the future holds for the newly formed Presbyterian Global Fellowship that has its first conference later this month. Is a major schism brewing? If so, we could have a nasty mess on our hands by 2008.

We have yet to see the first disciplinary case challenging an ordination in which a "scruple" was declared pursuant to the AI passed at GA. The facts of that hypothetical case and its final disposition by the GAPJC could become the flashpoint. That would put me personally, and as Moderator, in a very difficult position. Conversely, if the outcome of such a case were the enforcement of the consititution, then the disappointment of those who seek changes in ordination standards would present other issues.

New Covenant presbytery is moderately conservative. It has not been overly preoccupied with the doings on the national scene, but instead concentrates on planting new churches in the rapidly growing areas of the Houston metro and Bryan/College Station and encouraging existing churches to foster growth in membership.

The leadership has focused on bringing in nationally known experts on evangelism and church development and re-development like Glenn McDonald to speak at meetings and has offered a number of excellent training opportunities for ministers and laypeople alike. I think this emphasis is very important. If we can't look forward with confidence to the future of the church, we might as well pack it all up right now and save ourselves a lot of aggravation. We need to focus on evangelism, new church development and growth in exisiting churches.

A few years ago there was some distrust of the presbytery leadership but those attitudes are changing because a lot of people have worked hard to change that perception. I was one of those skeptics, but have been convinced there is a change of focus and attitude in the presbytery. Still, distrust of the denomination and the national staff and its policies persists, and I share some of those feelings. At this time I am not aware of any church in the presbytery seeking dismissal from the PCUSA, but events could change that. I hope New Covenant presbytery can model a new way for Presbyterians to relate to each other, even in times of crisis.

Conservatives have been urging each other to get involved in denominational governance at every level, so when I was asked to serve on General Council I agreed to do it. I don't think it's time to leave yet. There were several positive things that came out of the last General Assembly from the evangelicals' viewpoint. The PCUSA will never be perfect and neither will any new denomination that may spin off from it. So long as imperfect sinful people strive to follow Jesus there will be shortcomings. Heck, even I make mistakes!

I'm not a theologian or a minister. I'm a "cradle" Presbyterian laywoman who cherishes her heritage going back 6 generations to Scotland on one side of my family. I believe traditional Presbyterian theology and polity provide an important witness to the Church Universal with its emphasis on the soverignty of God, the authority of scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers. I don't think that God is through with the PCUSA yet. I think if I want to preserve this heritage for my posterity, it is time to put up or shut up. So I'm putting up. I said yes.

So if elected, would that make me Mom of Presbytery?

P.S. El Jefe agreed to be nominated for a 6 year term on the Presbytery Permanent Judicial Commission.