Well, it is Friday morning…I was only about 10 minutes late to the plenary meeting. At 10PM last night I had to give in and head to bed. I understand they went another 30-45 minutes. Today will be a long day, too. We are behind in the docket and we are already scheduled to not end until 10:30PM – if we can keep on track. If not, who knows? Even better…my committee must meet again after tonight’s last session because we are charged with presenting the final budget implications for all mission ministry items approved by the assembly.
The plenary sessions have been very interesting. As committee reports are given and their recommendations are moved as motions, following Robert’s Rule of Order, the floor is open for discussion and questions. It never fails that most items the committees think are easy become contentious and those feared to be controversial fly through without a question.
There is always one or two commissioners that enjoy hearing themselves speak from the floor and have little substance, but surprisingly many of the most articulate and insightful questions and suggestions have come from our younger advisory delegates – youth ages 15-20 and theological students at our seminaries. Our Mission Presbytery YAD (youth advisory delegate) Cindy Farrar has spoken several times on the floor of plenary and did a very good job. For me, the most promising and hopeful aspect of this experience for me has been seeing the young people of our denomination. They have been engaging and passionate, providing a fresh spirit within our work. They have taken this responsibility very seriously and have worked hard to understand all that we are doing. While they have full voice, but no vote in plenary, before each vote, they are polled to give the commissioners “advise” on the item of business. It has been a tremendous help for me to see what our younger folk think. Sometimes I agree sometimes not, but their ideas and voices need to be heard because they are our future and we need to make sure that what we do as a church takes into consideration their desires and their callings and their hopes or else we will not only be impoverish, but we will be less than what I think we are called to be.
On another note…we elected a new stated clerk this morning. He was not my choice, but did carry himself well during question/answer time and had some good replies that I agreed with.
After a vigorous morning of debate and voting mostly dealing with sexuality and church officers, Jim and I had a quiet lunch and I went back to the room and took a nap. It was hard to get up and get going again, but I made it. What we are discussing this afternoon pertains to the Committee on Peacemaking and International Affairs. This is going to be a tough session for me. Partly because I am exhausted and partly because of my “state” my emotions just keep welling up.
As I await what I pray will be the moment I hold our new child, I hear speaker and speaker and see video clip after video clip of children dying, suffering, starving and in poverty. This is one of the times when the amount of human suffering and need in the world seems so overwhelming, especially in the face of my personal wealth and prosperity, that I cannot even put into words my feelings and emotions. I am simply overwhelmed and at this time can only pray for God to help me hear and to guide me to whatever I can do in my little corner of the world to make the changes I can to further the Kingdom of God.
From Laurie's Seat
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