The Layman's Gone to Meddlin'

Several people asked me if I'd seen the Layman's ad in the Wall Street Journal at Monday's session meeting. Well, no, I hadn't because I read the WSJ on my IPad and don't see the ads, just the text. 

Then during the meeting the Moderator, Dave Peterson, told us that the same ad was going to run in Wednesday's Houston Chronicle and that he had already contacted the Layman with his objections. An FAQ sheet was distributed to the elders and to the staff in anticipation of questions from the congregation that might be prompted by the Houston area ad. 

The session then passed a motion that MDPC "continue to hold to and abide by the standards for ordination in the 2010 edition of the Book of Order, Form of Government G-6.106b for its elders and pastors." We also passed a motion stating that the first priority of the church continues to be the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've been taking a blogging break because I have nothing constructive or original to add to the commentary about the adoption of Amendment 10A. I've been thinking about writing a response to these Layman ads because--as we say down here in Texas--they've stopped preaching and gone to meddlin'.

But then I saw that the perfect response has already been written by Steve Oglesbee, pastor at Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, Houston. Thank you, Steve! I couldn't agree with you more.

And now QG is going on hiatus until mid-June while El Jefe and I are on tour in Israel with our church group. We should return physically tired and spiritually refreshed.

Prayer After Adoption of 10-A

My thanks to Rev. Dr. Robert Austell, webmaster of the site GAHelp, for  sharing this prayer he wrote. It is helping me put my grief at  the passage of Amendment 10-A in perspective.
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Heavenly Father,

We are divided on much. Chances are that the person beside us will vote differently on significant issues, passionately held. It is so easy to see one another as “the enemy” and yet you declare those who hope in the Lord Jesus Christ to be family.

You declare it – in Christ, we are one family! Yet, we struggle so to experience it! Some of us believe truth is at stake; some of us believe justice is at stake; some of us distrust each other, and we struggle with other issues that would drive us apart. Some will leave rejoicing; some will leave in sorrow; some will not know what they feel.

What hope do we have apart from your grace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? What hope? Grace seems a fragile flower in a room full of elephants.

Give us a vision for your grace – unconditional, true, winsome, and strong. Help us see the person on our left and on our right, not as the enemy, but like us, a broken son or daughter for whom Christ has died. Help us cling to your Word and live in your Spirit.

We ask it in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Catching Up

Life has been getting in the way of blogging for the last week or so it seems. Or maybe I'm getting away from blogging altogether.

The biggest reason now weighs about 14 lbs. Averill will be home on maternity leave for the rest of this month and returns to work in June. That means I get to see Graham almost every day and keep him several times a week so she can get out to run errands, make appointments and occasionally socialize. 

She has a nanny lined up and I get to meet her next week. Averill is having her come a few days on a part-time basis so she can get comfortable with the house and baby and the cast of characters: me, Beatrice, Tilda and Clio the cat. Once Averill goes back to work I won't get called on as often during the week. But I do plan to pop in.

We've also done a bit of traveling and I'm busy with unbloggable church-related stuff.

I'm still reading as much as ever but it's mostly escapist stuff that I'm not inclined to review. I need to start reading in preparation for our trip to Israel with a group from church later this month. We're really looking forward to that!

For All My Mommy Friends...In Da Muthahood!

Just in time for Mother's Day! A new tribute to all my mommy friends from the incomparable Anita Renfro: