If you want to see more pictures of the General Synod than just the few I’m able to share, you can follow this link to the particular page on the RCA web site.
Most of the business being conducted at General Synod can be found through links on the Delegates page.
On Friday night, our Plenary included an ecumenical panel including a Roman Catholic Bishop, an Armenian Orthodox priest, a Bishop from the Pentecostal church, and Wesley Michael Granberg, the retired General Secretary of the RCA. It was interesting and worth the time to look it up later if you weren’t watching the livestream. I believe the recorded events will be posted later on the RCA
Friday morning we had several reports and honored a retiring member of the RCA staff – retiring to mission in Oman. Then we addressed recommendations the President made yesterday related to questions about gay marriage. Basically, the President urged restraint for at least a year and to form a commission to study the recommendations. If you’re watching the livestream you saw me speak for an amendment to the President’s recommendation. Feelings are, as you can imagine, strong.
I feel strongly in favor of allowing and encouraging strong committed relations (marriage) for our gay brothers, sisters, children. However, I don’t see that this issue is reason to leave the denomination. Unfortunately, based upon what I’m hearing, regardless of what we decide today, churches will leave the denomination. The President’s motions seek to put things off for a year and hopes to find a way to move forward together. Its possible that some churches will delay, but I believe when our position becomes clear and firm, regardless of whether it is for or against gay marriage, we will be a much smaller denomination.
The issue continues to be vigorously discussed in our afternoon Plenary as we deal with the President’s recommendation. A lot of the discussion is dry, parliamentary procedures. Debate goes back and forth about procedures, amendments, etc. It might be a good time for a nap.
I have been to the microphone several times today. Feelings are running strong. The current discussion is about a motion concerning gay rehabilitation therapy. Even in the face of strong scientific evidence … the AMA, there are people who want to allow our support of rehabilitative therapy to continue. An amendment for this was narrowly defeated, 113 to 102. I ended the session nervous and shaky,