Greetings from the Moderator MAY 2023
|
I recently learned that the revision to the fourth section of the Book of Order, currently called the Rules of Discipline, has passed a majority of the presbyteries. This means that as of June, it will be a part of the constitution of our church. Our presbytery voted for it in December.
By now some of you who read this column may well be thinking, So what? Who really cares what’s in the constitution of our church? It’s two thick books with a lot of words that nobody often reads. To you I say, those of us who are ordained deacons, ruling elders and ministers of Word and Sacrament have promised to be guided by our church’s confessions (that’s what is in the Book of Confessions) to be governed by its polity and to abide by its discipline (that’s what is in the Book of Order). So knowing what’s in our constitution is something to care about as we seek to serve and lead the people of God entrusted to us as elected leaders in the church. It is a helpful thing for all members to know, as well, and both documents are available to download for free at www.pcusa.org/oga. As it happens, we Presbyterians approved this change to our discipline a week after the scandal in the diocese of Baltimore was reported in the national press where more than 150 priests and other leaders engaged in abuse of children and in covering it up. I was struck by the timing. Of course, abuse of children is a crime punishable in civil courts. Covering it up may not be criminal everywhere in the courts, but it is morally reprehensible and is one of the things we need ways to address in church. General Assembly moderators appointed a task force to revise our disciplinary process in the Presbyterian church six years ago to make it easier for Presbyterians to come forward when we believe moral wrong of any kind has been done in the church. I chaired that task force. Our charge was to make the disciplinary process more accessible to the whole church, to make it clear that its purpose is to restore trust where trust is broken and not to punish but to call folks to repentance so that our fellowship can be restored whenever possible. It’s about accountability within the community of the church. Accountability and community are precious things not often discussed in our common life these days. Community in the church is possible because we have a way to hold ourselves accountable to God and to each other for our life together. When we believe individuals have broken trust we can let them know, but if there are reasons why that is not enough, we can file an allegation of wrong doing with the clerk of our session or our presbytery depending on whether they are church members or members of presbytery. When we believe our session or our presbytery has erred or failed to act we can file a complaint in the same way. It doesn’t happen often. Usually, we can resolve things without taking each other to church court and our Lord encouraged us to do that in Matthew’s gospel. Still, I am grateful that we have a process in our constitution to use to settle matters that unsettle the church when we need it and I am glad that the majority of Presbyterian leaders believe that the new, easier to understand and use version called Church Discipline is what we need for today’s church. Mario Bolivar, pastor at Eustis, and I are beginning work on a video to give you all the details about what’s in this new version so soon after it is in the constitution, you will have a resource to walk you through what’s there. My hope is that knowing how to hold ourselves and each other accountable will help us build a church that is strong community of trust that serves as witness to God’s redeeming grace in a world that knows way too much about how to tear communities apart. Blessings on your life and ministry today and always, Paige
|
Rev. Dr. Paige McRight
|