Is General Assembly really over?

An interesting facet of church government in the PCC is that only the Moderator continues in office after the final Sederunt at GA. When the Moderator pronounces the Assembly to be concluded, it actually is dissolved. All Commissioners return to their respectful presbyteries and congregations to resume their regular roles and stations in life. All other courts of the church are permanent (i.e. Kirk Session, Presbytery, Synod). So technically speaking the 143rd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada is over.

This year I am not so sure that we can say this in the sense that the atmosphere and the challenges of this GA are not only going to linger, they are likely to intensify.

The final Sederunt started with a very powerful sermon by Bob Paul, Dean of St. Andrew’s Hall (VST/UBC). He talked about the sufficiency of Christ — he being the fulfillment of all that had gone before. He prayed that God might make whole the brokenness that we feel and are. Then he asked an intriguing question: “what was God thinking to involve us in His plan?” And, “are we on the last lap” of this plan? It was to set a tone for a quieter, more reflective morning.

The Moderator started it off by apologizing for not reining in some speakers who were hurtful of others. He asked for forgiveness for not being more sensitive to the pain being experienced by some. It was a moving moment and although not entirely necessary, due to the harsh tones of some speakers, it was a good moment. It gave me a sense of hope that we might yet initiate a thoughtful dialogue on doctrine related to human sexuality and the place of the national church within the Canadian spectrum of faith. (He even invited people to reach out to each other and seek reconciliation — most did!!)

This was followed by a representative of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. As an earlier wife’s a ELCIC I have had previous conversations with the national bishop and other pastors (one of whom was a good friend of my father, especially in his latter years). He brought wonderfully warm greetings and talked about the need for all Christians to be more understanding about our differences and the even greater similarities in this year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

A contingent of wrap-up reporting followed including reports and responses from the student representatives and the young adult representatives. These were good moments even though the young adults expressed disappointment with the deferrals. Hopefully in the months ahead they will come to see the wisdom in that move and that they will better appreciate why it is good to be thoughtful and somewhat cautious when treading the waters of doctrinal change.

A number of recommendations regarding letters to various leaders in the political realm were approved to inform those governments of the desire of the PCC to see change and improvement in our relations with all peoples both home and abroad — a search for more justice and caring, in essence a desire to see us all get to better. As well there were many messages of thanks and appreciation which I would second. St. Andrew’s Kingston and the rest of the Kingston Presbytery did an exceptional job organizing and supporting the four days of activities. The technical people running the audio-visual and other communicative systems were similarly first class. It was a good and well-run gathering.

That being said, there are going to be some difficult moments this autumn across the church. Due to the structure of the GA there was little cross-commissioner conversations except at each table which tended to remain constant throughout. People found their place and then stayed put — some change in organizational structure is needed to break up the comfort zones. Perhaps in the first full day, people could be assigned seats such that all the known talkers and similar leaders are put at the same tables, while throughout the hall there is a genuine mixing of people so that no two people are from the same Presbytery. Moreover, on the first day have the young adults and students spread out so they are located at separate tables and invited to be mini-moderators during any directed conversations. They showed at this GA that they will quickly connect with each other and develop effective communications. Imagine if they were given the opportunity to use such skills in helping connect commissioners from a diversity of places, ethnicity and even doctrinal understanding.

If far fewer reports were clogging the GA agenda, a moderate issue could be brought forward with a concomitant instruction that each table had twenty minutes to discuss a collective response to the first recommendation. After this, all tables through the young adults would report. Quickly the Clerks (and their assistants) would coalesce the input and put forth 3 or 4 predominate responses and the groups would re-convene at the tables to see if a final consensus could be achieved. Then each table would again report — and as agreement was achieved the idea would be checked off; wherever there was non-convergence the points would remain identified. If there was then a desire to try once more on the non-convergence, a third round could be attempted. Even if there was not total unanimity everyone would now be much more attuned to the differences within the room and yet more inspired to appreciate the willingness of those assembled to work towards a common resolution.

Had this type of set-up been attempted at this GA, I believe the issue of the major documents to be shared with the church would have received a much more constructive response. People would have had the opportunity to fully understand the process to date (since 1994) and there would have been workable recommendations that would have facilitated increased cross-church appreciation for what different people are having to struggle with back home. I will say more on this going forward, once I have been able to see/read the full reports and obtain the actual wording of the various recommendations. (I may even volunteer to demonstrate this at next year’s GA at Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo ON!!)

For now know this. The church is alive. The PCC is alive. The next six or seven months will require considerable energy, patience and resourcefulness across the denomination. Reformation is continuing: how that actually will play out is why it will be exciting to wake up each morning throughout the remainder of 2017.

g.w.