Early this evening in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Twin Cities Presbytery became the 87th presbytery to vote in favor of “Amendment 10-A” which means that our denomination’s ordination standards will change. Last summer, the General Assembly of our church voted to replace language in our constitution that prohibits non-celibate gays and lesbians from being ordained with language that gives local congregations and local presbyteries the responsibility to examine candidates for ordination who will “submit joyfully to the lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life.” General Assembly actions take the support of 50% plus one of the 173 presbyteries to change the constitution. Tonight, that threshold was crossed. No doubt this change will mean that some churches and some presbyteries will choose to ordain gays and lesbians who the church/presbytery believes to meet this new standard. And, no doubt, some churches and presbyteries will choose to continue to uphold the former standard and not ordain gays or lesbians.
To read more about what these changes mean (and do not mean), I recommend reading a letter from one of our sister presbyteries in Florida: http://fpcshreveportblogs.org/what-does-amendment-10-a-really-change/
The PC(USA) report on tonight’s vote and a letter from our Stated Clerk, Moderator, and Vice Moderator can be found here: http://www.pcusa.org/news/2011/5/10/presbyterian-church-us-approves-change-ordination/
Tonight, across our denomination, there are many Presbyterians who rejoice. This debate has roiled the church for the last 32 years. For some, tonight’s historic vote was a relief. I read a tweet from someone who said “Rejoice! I can now be ordained in the denomination that baptized me!”
Tonight, too, across our denomination, there are many Presbyterians who despair. Some will feel betrayed, believing that the freedom for churches and presbyteries to ordain gays and lesbians is a departure from scripture and our tradition.
In the days ahead, there will be much of both in the PC(USA) world: rejoicing and despairing. I dare say that our congregation at First Presbyterian represents the “broad middle” that is the majority of our denomination – we are a community of faith made up of people on both sides of this long-standing debate.
And yet…
I can’t help but to think of the words that God speaks at every crossroads of the church’s life that is filled with anxiety – be it the empty tomb, the wind-whipped disciples at Pentecost, or the churches struggling with the inclusion of the earliest gentile converts. Those words are “do not be afraid!”
None of us know what the future holds. No one can anticipate what the reaction will be to this news. But what I am sure about is that Jesus Christ is still the head of the church and no matter who is ordained, that will not change. “Do not be afraid!”
I strongly believe that the antidote to our anxiety about the church’s future is found in being the church. Next week, I am sitting down with some local clergy to talk about ways our congregation might address the problem of absentee landlords who take advantage of low-income renters in our neighborhood. Plans are underway for a terrific Vacation Bible School week this summer, where our children will join with other Presbyterians to learn the stories of scripture and live out their faith by working with the Fuller Center for Housing. Our youth are getting ready to head to Mo-Ranch for two different Spirit-filled weeks. We are sending four members of the congregation to walk beside our missionaries Les and Cindy Morgan in Bangladesh this June. “Do not be afraid!”
We need not diminish the importance of tonight’s vote. It is significant and is cause for strong reaction on each side of the 30+ year debate. But this “issue” does not define the church. God still calls us to the life-giving work of being Christ’s hands in the world. And so we walk forward in faith…
Pen Peery, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Shreveport
