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FAQ
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What are the changes related to amendment 10-A? |
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In its simplest form, 10-A states that it is our responsibility to ensure that those who serve are “persons of strong faith, dedicated discipleship, and love of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord,” and whose lives are “a demonstration of the gospel in the church and in the world.” The passage of 10-A will not require the ordination of gays and lesbians, but such action would be possible if a congregation deemed it appropriate. |
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What are the implications of the new Form of Government (nFoG)? |
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The nFoG is an attempt to bring the book of order “back to a truly constitutional document that contains broad governing and theological principles and emphasizes function over structure.” nFoG will prompt Covenant to adopt a set of local by-laws for how we wish to operate. |
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| Q. |
When will the nFoG take effect? |
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The nFoG became effective on July 10, 2011. However, a recent vote at the June Mission Presbytery meeting gives us one year to write and pass our own local bylaws to address procedural issues not explicitly covered by the nFoG. For example, the current Book of Order defines a quorum for congregational meetings at ten percent of membership, while the nFoG omits this section and leaves it up to local congregations to decide what constitutes a quorum. If no action is taken, this could default to what Roberts Rules of Order defines as a quorum, and thus a majority of members would have to be in attendance to conduct business on behalf of the body. |
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What is Covenant’s session doing in response to these changes? |
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Session has appointed a PC(USA) polity task force consisting of elders John Blitch, Marv Hackert, Maggie Tate, Laura Tuma, and Clark Weatherby. The task force and Session, as a whole, are carefully studying possible responses to the new ordination standards and evaluating the impact of our new Form of Government. Individual members are attending meetings with other local churches and Mission Presbytery. In August, several members of Covenant will attend “A Fellowship of Presbyterian Pastors” in Minneapolis to discuss how the PC(USA) may evolve. We anticipate that some will also attend the 2011 Covenant Network Conference in November in Durham, N.C. |
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| Q. |
What are the next steps? |
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Session will hold town hall meetings with the congregation on Sept. 7 and Sept. 12. These meetings will give everyone the opportunity to learn more and provide input. Session will not take any action until after the town hall meetings. Meanwhile, we encourage you to explore the helpful links listed below and read about the issues from various viewpoints. Please be aware that the information represents a range of perspectives and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Covenant's leadership. |
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| Q. |
Where can I find more background information on the Presbyterian Church? |
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Please visit the PC(USA) page Presbyterian 101 for more information on the history of Presbyterianism. |
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