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Support for Moderator and Stated Clerk |
| Presbytery of the Palisades affirms support for the
Moderator and Stated Clerk [1-29-03]
ON SUPPORTING
THE MODERATOR OF THE 214TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AND THE STATED CLERK
In these times of intense theological discussion and conflict over
interpretation of the Constitution of the PCUSA, the members and churches of
the Presbytery of the Palisades call ourselves and our brothers and sisters
in the Presbyterian fellowship to a time of prayer, repentance and
reconciliation. We affirm that we seek the peace, unity and purity to which
we are called by the gospel of Jesus Christ and in obedience to our
baptismal and ordination vows.
The Presbytery of the Palisades offers its full support
and encouragement to the Reverend Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator of the 214th
General Assembly, and the Reverend Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the
General Assembly. We trust that they have faithfully and carefully carried
out the requirements of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.) in accordance with their respective leadership offices and have
directed their colleagues in the Office of the General Assembly to do the
same.
We recognize that there is strong disagreement within the
denomination about how its churches, governing bodies and officers are to
carry out the mandates of our covenanted life as expressed through the
Constitution of the PCUSA. We pray that our leaders will remain at the
table of fellowship to continue to explore those differences. At the same
time, the Presbytery of the Palisades objects to the tactics of personal
attack and disinformation used by some to discredit the leadership of the
Moderator and Stated Clerk. The members of this presbytery call for an end
to the attempts to force them to act outside the boundaries of their offices
and apart from the polity established by the Constitution that
guides all governing bodies and leaders in our church.
The Presbytery of the Palisades stands in alliance with the Moderator and
the Stated Clerk in seeking the path of reconciliation through this time of
brokenness and disharmony in our church. Trusting on the guidance of the
Holy Spirit, we seek to be faithful to the love of Jesus Christ and to the
Christian life we share in him. May God forgive our divisiveness and show us
the path of peace, unity and purity.
Voted on the 28th day of January 2003 at its
stated meeting held in Jersey City, New Jersey.
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And in supportive response to the above action comes this
note from a commissioner to the 214th General Assembly:
Call for support
Dear friends in Christ,
As a Presbyterian and a GA commissioner I completely
support the Moderator Fahed Abu Akel and the Stated Clerk Clifton
Kirkpatrick. I trust completely in their judgement on the issue of
recalling the GA. I am absolutely sure that they thoroughly understand the
Book of Order and are doing their utmost to uphold it. Furthermore having
met both of these men, I believe them to be fine and upstanding Christians
that try their best to follow the Bible's teachings.
I urge all 214th GA Commissioners to express their
support for these good leaders of our church. It is past time that the
commissioners to the 214th GA stood up and spoke out for the decisions we
made at the General Assembly! We must stand up to this conspiracy being
orchestrated by Metherell, Jensen, and their Layman cronies.
In the Messiah's service,
Joe Sayre
Elder Commissioner
Presbytery of Santa Fe
214th General Assembly |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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