General Assembly Mailings

As a Commissioner to the Upcoming 218^th General Assembly, I have been receiving mail since March. Some of the mail is OFFICIAL and comes from the Office of the General Assembly. Other mail has come from other General Assembly entities like the General Assembly Council, the Presbyterian Foundation, the Board of Pensions, and the Presbyterian Church Development Corporation. Still other mail has come from individuals, churches, and organizations related to the denomination in some way or another.

The Assembly is one week away. I leave on the morning of the 20^th so I can be present in San Jose on that afternoon for Anti-Racism Training. To date this is a list of the mail I have received. It is in no particular order. The list I was keeping in the margin of my blog, well the volume of the mail is too much for that little list so I have created this blog entry.

The folks who have sent me this mail expect me to read it. Some of it has been sent to ‘help’ me interpret and understand the business before the assembly. I have to make a choice in what I read to prepare. My first responsibility is to read and understand the business as it presented on the Assembly website and organized in pc-biz. I’m still working my way through the FOG (Form of Government Task Force) Report and trying to understand the implications should it be adopted.

The mailings are in my opinion possibly helpful but, I’m viewing them as ‘voter’ guides that are put out during the election season. It is helpful to read them to see what various perspectives think about something, but one must discern the perspective being advocated when one uses a voter guide.

On a side note, the Discernment Tool developed and published by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program entitled "Guidelines for Communal Discernment" is very helpful. Which reminds me, I need to get those printed before Monday’s Session meeting to give to my Session because I think they will find it helpful.

I sometimes wonder if the amount of money spent on some of these mailings could be put to better use supporting and funding hands on mission and ministry that feeds a hungry person, binds up the wounds of a hurting person, or lifts up spiritually the life of a person separated from the Love of God we know in Jesus Christ.

Well my primary task is to read and understand the business before the Assembly on pc-biz.

This list of mail is extra credit reading:

OFFICIAL MAILINGS

Office of the General Assembly: Registration Guide to the General Assembly

Letter from the Office of the General Assembly giving my committee assignment (Bills and Overtures)

Office of the General Assembly – The report of the Form of Government Task Force in bound form

Letter from the Moderator of the Bills and Overture’s Committee (the Committee I’ve been assigned to)

Letter from the Office of the General Assembly confirming my registration and tickets purchased for assembly events

Letter from the Office of the General Assembly with final instructions and confirmation of reservations.

OFFICIAL ENTITIES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

Presbyterian Publishing Corporation – letter about their work and invitation to stop by their booth in the display area and get a free mug.

Letter and DVD from the General Assembly Council – outlining the structure of the church and the work of the General Assembly Council

Post card from the Presbyterian Foundation

GENERAL ASSEMBLY COUNCIL SUB-ENTITIES/ORGANIZATIONS

Postcard from Congregational Ministries Publishing – they will make house keys at their booth at GA, provide a 10% discount on their resources (must present card) and if you one of the first 100 (there are over 350 commissioners) commissioners you will receive the new Witherspoon Press title, “The Apostles Creed” free!

Presbyterian Women – letter about women’s issues before the assembly

No particular office but a 100 Witherspoon Street address – flyer for Presbyterian Women’s Concerns Events and flyer for Racial Ethnic Concerns events

PHEWA –(Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association) letter from their sub-group PARO (Presbyterians Affirming Reproductive Options) outlining their positions on issues before the assembly.

OTHER PRESBYTERIAN ORGANIZATIONS

Israel/Palestine Mission Network – materials about their network including the guide for commissioners called “Just Peace”, a DVD and the booklet “The Cradle of Our Faith: The Enduring Witness of the Christians of the Middle East.”

First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, MO – A letter telling the commissioners they are praying for them – no agenda

Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church – letter and DVD on item number 16:01 (overture 007) before the assembly urging my support (this is the church that generated the overture)

Book "Jesus the Bible and Homosexuality" by Jack Rogers - from The Covenant Network of Presbyterians, That All May Freely Serve, and several other organizations

The Witherspoon Society – A letter of welcome and a brief outline of how the assembly works, and how to best speak for issues of justice at the assembly.

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship – Their newsletter outlining their assembly events (Jonathan Kuttab is speaking at their breakfast on June 25^th. I worked with his wife Beth briefly when she consulted with the Jinishian Memorial Program)

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians – The Summer 2008 issue of The Covenant Connection – their newsletter

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians – Book entitled “Frequently Asked Questions About Sexuality the Bible & the Church: Plain talk About Tough Issues” edited by Ted A. Smith

Presbyterian Lay Committee – a letter with a breaking news story about significant proposed changes to the Presbyterian Foundation and in the PS an invitation to stop by their booth in the Assembly area and pick up a copy of their latest book “Broken Covenant” (need to show my badge)

The Witherspoon Society – a copy of Witherspoon Network News

Mr. Donald M. Maclay – Letter from the Israel/Palestine Mission Network to follow up their first mailing of “Just Peace” flyer urging my non-support on various items of business before the assembly and a flyer with their events at the assembly.

University of Dubuque – inviting me to their Seminary Luncheon on Wednesday (already have a ticket to the Louisville Seminary Luncheon)

The Presbyterian Layman – An introductory letter, a copy of the most recent issue of the Layman, and request to sign onto their petition on Church Property

Presbyterians Pro-Life – letter outlining their perspective on various assembly business and information about their activities/events at the assembly.

Presbyterians for Faith, Family and Ministry – Theology Matters – a booklet that critiques the New Form of Government

1^st Presbyterian Church Presbyterians for Peace – A letter from US Senators to GA Commissioners – the topic is the Israel/Palestine issue – one of the signers is Kit Bond from Missouri – it is interesting to note that I have written to Senator Bond on several issues and Senator Bond has not responded to my CONSTITUENT mail – I’m not persuaded by politicians!

The Presbyterian Coalition – A critique of the New Form of Government

Medical Benevolence Foundation – letter inviting me to the International Health Breakfast, the office of International Health Ministries, and the work of MBF as a ‘Validated Mission Support Group.:

Postcard from Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery – Two former commissioners are praying for me and the other commissioners (I like letters and cards like this … I can use all the prayer I can get, plus there is no ‘agenda’)

Presbyterian Action (The Institute on Religion and Democracy) – letter telling commissioners who they are and what positions they would like commissioners to take on assembly business.

Presbyterians for Renewal – Renews newsletter (with insert on 8 items of business this organization believes to be important)

Presbyterians for Faith, Family, and Ministry – Theology Matters May/June issue on Healing Same-Sex Attraction

Heartland Presbyterians Pro-Life – letter explaining their position on two items of business before the assembly and urging my support of their items.

PC(USA) Mission Invitation

MY FAVORITE MAILINGS

My favorite mailings are the letter from the church in Kirkwood, MO and the postcard from Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery – prayer is what I and all the other commissioners need. Prayer that we will hear God’s Will amid all the bucking for position and politics…and who said the church isn’t interesting.