We’re now just about three weeks out from the opening gavel of the 219th General Assembly. Commissioners are working their way through the material that’s being posted on PC Biz, and are also dealing with all sorts of entreaties that have started appearing in our mailboxes.
Moderatorial candidates are also preparing. Last week, all six of us (myself and the Revs. James Belle, Jin Kim, Maggie Lauterer, Julia Leith, and Eric Nielsen) met in Louisville to get briefed on how the whole moderatorial election process works, and then, information applicable to one of us, what happens in the week that follows. We were joined by our nominees for Vice Moderator minus one (James Belle’s choice for VM was unable to be present).
Six candidates for Moderator! Long-time GA observers have tried to recall if and when that had ever happened before. Six is indeed a lot, but, from the church’s perspective, more is more. Each of us offers different backgrounds, different experiences within the church, and different ways in which we would seek to lead the P.C. (U.S.A.). At the same time, though, we each share the common goal of wanting our church to proclaim the Gospel prophetically and authentically in the 21st century.
We share another common goal: we have covenanted, one with another, to hold each other up in prayer during these weeks leading up to GA. One of us will, in the world’s terms, “succeed” on July 3, and the others will, again in the world’s terms, “lose.” Those are the world’s terms, not ours; we support one another, we pray for one another, we have promised to be there for one another no matter the outcome on the night of July 3.
We have developed relationships with each other. And that’s important, because it will be through relationships, and not just rules, that the P.C. (U.S.A.) can be a relevant force in a 21st century multicultural, post-modern society.
Relationships can start in many ways. If you’re a commissioner to GA, can you begin now to pray for another commissioner — perhaps unknown in name — whose theology or worldview is different from yours? GA is not about winning or losing. It’s about coming together and forming relationships, so that together we can discern where God is leading us.