Thursday, June 26, 2008

Musings of a Virtual Presby-Fester


Except for attending my study group and a quick trip to the gym to work on that bum knee, I've spent the day in virtual attendance at GA. The house is very quiet today--just me and the dog since El Jefe is at work and is taking the kids to the baseball game. And that's a good thing since I'm the point person for my presbytery's GA Newsblog as well as my usual stuff here.

First of all, the virtual streaming is working really well for me. Last GA it kept choking out and buffering and timing out. This time it is smooth as glass. The camera work is good. Generally the screen projections have worked well, but just now "Angela" can't seem to find the liturgy they are using for the commissioning of Clif Kirkpatrick as "Stated Clerk Emeritus."

The big debate this afternoon was on the FOG report. Commissioners pulled out a variety of parliamentary moves, but in the end the committee's recommendation was passed. The FOG will go to the presbyteries for comment and the Task Force will be enlarged and asked to revise the report in light of those comments for action at the 2010 GA.

There was a lot of debate about whether and how the FOG report would enable the PCUSA to become more "missional". As one wag pointed out, the entire debate certainly focused the group inward rather than outward. But that is the nature of polity debates, isn't it?

I don't see how the BOO will ever make us any more missional than the Great Commission, which is a whole lot shorter.

They just took a 10 minute break, so I will take advantage of it to get in my jammies, avail myself of a glass of restorative vino, and offer a quick prayer for the work that remains before the group before returning to the virtual PresbyFest.

With a two hour time difference between California and Texas, it isn't likely I will make it through the evening session. But one does what one can!

UPDATE: Now I'm watching my own pastor, Dave Peterson (MDPC, Houston) speak to the GA about the Hearts and Hands Campaign. Go Dave!


10 comments:

recovering baptist said...

Well, BOO hoo in in the FOG, just goes to show I should be reading on a more regular basis.

It's be a while since we went for lunch.. let's go some time soon.

recovering baptist said...

that should read, BOO hoo I'm in the FOG.

Just goes to show I shouldn't do this after a glass of wine!!

Unknown said...

Amen on the Great Commission, and is it weird that I'm also a recovering Baptist?

Christine said...

It IS fun to follow, isn't it?

Jody Harrington said...

RB,

Sorry for the lapse into PresbySpeak! BOO=Book of Order
FOG= Form of Government Task Force report.

And, yes, let's do lunch!

RevDi said...

I am new to the conversations so I shall be bold to ask: are the "recovering Baptists" now Presbyterian? If not, we would love to have you!

Lori said...

What I would love to hear are your comments as you sit at your computer watching this.

Thanks for sharing it with us!

St. Casserole said...

Beautiful jammies, QG!

I thought I'd watch the streaming video but forgot...every single day.

I'm enjoying your posts on the G.A.

Jody Harrington said...

Rev Di,

One of the RB's is a UCC minister and the other one is a Presbyterian at Southminster!

recovering baptist said...

RevDi, yes this recovering baptist is now a happy member in the PCUSA.