GA Summary - Final report

The saying "the opera ain't over until the fat lady sings" has a General Assembly equivalent: "the assembly ain't over until the YAD cries." The crying YAD appeared around 11 p.m. Friday night, during the Health Issues (i.e., abortion policy) report. To be fair, we don't want to trivialize the YAD's deeply held feelings, but a long week of near-sleepless nights, a late night debate on an emotional issue after a full day of business, and a nervous 17-year old speaking before a large audience are necessarily going to result in tears. I don't know who the crying YAD was, or even what position she was advocating, but when the YAD cries you know "GA Theater" (how old do you have to be to get that pun?) is nearing the end of the show.

And the show did end, Saturday morning at about 10:45 a.m. local time. The only Saturday action item was the approval of the GA per capita apportionment for the next two years, which was set at $6.15, up from $5.79 in 2006. Put in perspective, the increase constitutes a 6.2% total increase, which is an adjustment of 4.5% to offset membership loss, and an increase of 1.7%, or about 8/10 of 1% per year over the two year period. Even the 6.2% figure is below the rate of inflation. You can't say the commissioners were spendthrifts.

The rest of the morning were the obligatory, ceremonial thank-you's, farewells, and see-you-in-two-years remarks. The surprise highlight was a delightfully self-deprecating video from the Minneapolis assembly local arrangements committee inviting folks to the 2010 Assembly.

So now begins the process of interpretation of the Assembly's actions, and the misstatements are already piling up. The headline of "Presbyweb" -- a daily, subscription-only, compilation of Presbyterian and religious news and opinions says "Divided assembly lifts ban on ordination of gays and lesbians," which is just plain false. A click on the link to the Presbyterian Outlook article shows the actual headline to be, "Divided assembly approves referendum on ordination of gays and lesbians." That's a big difference. Meanwhile, I have been told that the staff in the Office of Constitutional Services will begin work Monday on "Advisory Opinions" on matters coming out of this assembly. If you recall two years ago, it took three tries for the Stated Clerk's office finally to interpret the PUP authoritative interpretation correctly. I hope they do better this time. Meanwhile, my own task of interpretation starts Sunday morning at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Boulder.

I want to report that our Presbytery delegation of Elders Joe Tunner and Sylvia Dooling, Minister Stephen Roosa, and YAD Kelsey Day served us well. (Minister Wayne Nickerson was unable to attend due to a family emergency.) We will meet soon to plan how best to share the assembly experience and decisions with the presbytery.