During the first day of business at the Presbyterian Church's annual General Assembly the Business Board reported on some new ideas for the arrangements of the Assembly. Some of these included the Tuesday night "Presbyterians Talk" programme and the moving of Friday business to Thursday evening, which have both already been implemented.
Rev Anne Tolland, minister of Cairncastle Presbyterian reported on the positive feedback so far,
"A new idea this year, sees the introduction of a Tuesday evening event, allowing discussion and interaction of interested parties concerning key areas of debate within our Church and community. This year 'education' was chosen and this has generated positive interest within our own congregations, educational circles and the media. It has been noted that we are trying to access levels of expertise and address the concerns and worries of our people in the pews in a relevant manner."
Glenda McCormick, Youth Pastor and Youth Rep for Dublin and Munster Presbytery reported on the need to include young people in Presbyterian debate,
"Young People are not the Church of tomorrow - they are part of the Church NOW, TODAY. There is a need for us to honestly examine to what extent they are included or excluded from the real work and decision making of our church.
"Our hope is that this will facilitate and encourage ways for our young people to engage with issues and participate in meaningful discussions about these issues both in their local churches and in the wider Church as a whole."
One of the more radical proposals to install the Moderator at the end of Assembly week, therefore making the final act of his/her appointment to chair the Assembly, was not approved by the Assembly.
This years visitors included Rt Rev Sheilagh Kesting, the first woman minister of The Church of Scotland to become its Moderator, as well as 20 visitors from churches as far afield as India, Malawi and Kenya.
The Board of Communications delivered its report, which included the winners of the Excellence in Communication Awards:
Print - Waringstown Presbyterian for innovative and engaging imagery to promote their life and mission.
Internet - Christ Church Rathgar for their website with clear, current information.
Audio-Visual - Ballyclare Presbyterian for their promotional DVD.
Broadcast - Rev William Hayes for his contribution to local radio with his weekly show Heartlands.
The Assembly was also informed that Rev Arthur Clarke will be retiring as editor of the Presbyterian Herald in December 2007.
All resolutions as contained in the reports for the Board of Communications were passed.
The report from the PWA was made by Mrs Caroline Hawthorne and seconded by Mrs Joan Hanna. The report was received by the Assembly.
Continuing in its work towards 'Vibrant Communities of Christ serving and transforming Ireland' the Board presented its developing strategy on how congregations can become more effective centres of mission.
Last year's plans have been modified following a presbytery consultation and a proposal that vacant congregations which did not have mission plans in place would not be allowed to call ministers until they did has been dropped.
However a timetable proposed to the Assembly which requires presbyteries to have mission strategy plans agreed by March 2009 and congregations to have plans devised was submitted to presbytery for amendment and approval by March 2010. (p141)
Speaking on how churches are be 'vibrant communities of Christ' Rev Norman Hamilton, minister of Ballysillan said,
"I would love this Church to be passionate about the miles and miles of so called 'peace walls' that permanently divide neighbour from neighbour and community from community. Do we as a Church care that these 20 ft high monstrosities are in place, and even more - that there are plans to build some new ones? Walls are highly significant in the story of our land. These ones are in danger of being set in the concrete of permanent social division."
Rev Roy Patton, convener of the Board of Mission in Ireland said,
"Congregations must refuse to settle for the way things too often are, too much concerned with themselves and their own preferences rather than outward looking, forward thinking and taking responsibility for engaging with the community.
"This denomination must refuse to be preoccupied with internal agendas and secondary matters and must take responsibility for the task of mission in Ireland today."
Resolutions were agreed and passed by the Assembly.
The report from the Board of Social Witness produced one of the most anticipated debates of the Assembly - whether to adopt the proposed guidelines for pastoral care of homosexuals. These have been drawn up at the request of last years Assembly which, recognising 'the homophobic attitudes within our [the Presbyterian] Church', asked for guidelines 'to help our Church to develop more sensitive and effective pastoral care.' (p174).
The report stated the traditional position of the Presbyterian Church adopted in 1979, which the panel had no remit to nor expresses any desire to change, that '... the Holy Scriptures clearly condemn homosexual practices...'.
However in considering the pastoral care offered by the church through quoting the research of others and recounting the experiences of people the group itself met, they conclude that if these are the general experiences of people in our Presbyterian Church 'it is evident that there has been a lack of understanding, compassion and grace. (p177). They continue, 'when we condemn homosexual practice in isolation or single it out as somehow worse that other sexual practices outside of heterosexual marriage then we demonstrate homophobic attitudes.' (p178).
The report emphasised the need to dispel myths, for clarity of understanding and the need for temperate language. 'Compassion begins in the pulpit and works out from there. Condemnation from the pulpit closes the door to compassionate care outside the pulpit.' (p179)
The report then went on to discuss the need for pastoral wisdom in 'first contact' situations before dealing with the issues of long term care. It clearly states that 'the role of pastoral care is not to force a person into counselling' though it does indicate that this is one avenue of help which, if sought, should be carried out by those skilled and trained in its practice. (p180).
Among the seven recommendations which concluded the report and which it asked the General Assembly to endorse (p183) are the unacceptability of attitudes within the church which 'victimise or diminish human beings whose affections happen to be ordered towards people of the same sex', encouragement for congregations to 'create an environment of love, acceptance, patience, forgiveness and grace' and the investigation of creating a 'safe space' within the church where people could discuss their sexuality.
Within the generally conservative Presbyterian Church there will be some for whom these guidelines go too far though for others not far enough. Par 11.3 on page 182 sounds a note of encouragement. 'In every way it is easier to stand at the side of the road, or in the pulpit or 'on air' and shout condemnation. But it does not win hearts and minds. And it certainly does not show the pastoral care of Jesus Christ. It may be uncomfortable for some, but it is better to sit down and talk - but listen first."
It was recommended by Rev William Moody from Moy and Benburb that there be an amendment to the resolution stating,
"That the report of the Social Issues and Resource Panel regarding sexual orientation be sent down to Presbyteries for their consideration and comments and a revised report with guidelines be brought to the General Assembly in 2008."
The amendment was not passed with 163 for it and 168 against. Debate on the resolution continued with strong comments for both sides.
Rev Simon Henning said, "The important part of this report is not what's contained within it, but how it was formed - through direct contact; through face to face encounters... I would strongly recommend all Presbyteries and congregations to meet with a gay or lesbian person, in an environment that is appropriate and see for themselves what that person is like."
Rev Ken Patterson said, "It is my conviction that this report does not reflect the Bible's teaching on homosexuality accurately... and it really results in confusion... Moderator, this report speaks of the need for repentance by the church for homophobic attitudes but says little or nothing of the need for true repentance on the part of homosexual sinners."
Commending the resolution, Rev Bobby Liddle said, "For some this report goes too far, for others not far enough. It does not engage in significant depth with the theological and biblical issues surrounding the area of homosexuality. But then it was never meant to. The remit given was to work within the stated position of this Assembly and to provide pastoral guidelines within the bounds of that acknowledged position.
"Moderator it is easy to pontificate and criticize from a distance. It is a very humbling thing to sit across a table from a young person who was committed to Jesus Christ, devoted to youth work in his church, active in evangelism, well grounded in the Scripture and to hear him tell how he stood with a rope around his neck feeling that to be the only answer - that suicide was preferable to being open with his church and parents about his sexuality struggles."
The resolution was passed with 159 votes to 120. Resolutions 1, 2 and 3 were agreed by the General Assembly with resolutions 5 - 9 moving to lapsed business.
Business was concluded at 6pm with the new event Presbyterians Talk: Education beginning at 7.30pm.
Issued by Sarah Harding, Presbyterian Information Services. info@presbyterianireland.org