CovNet Celebrates the Work of GA222: Real Progress Toward a More Just and Generous Church
The Covenant Network of Presbyterians celebrates the accomplishments of the 222nd General Assembly! Over and over, this Assembly advanced the cause of inclusion and unity, affirming LGBTQ people and moving us in concrete ways toward being a church as generous and just as God’s grace.
A traditional marriage liturgy
As congregations continue to rejoice in the attainment of marriage equality in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), couples are working with pastors to craft meaningful worship services to celebrate their covenant commitment. Some are developing new forms, and others prefer a traditional liturgy.Bryant Hand and Chase Robinson chose the traditional route, and have graciously shared their order of worship.
Letters from the Heart
Ruling Elder Bob Coates from Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church in Tampa, Florida, offers a website with resources collected during his congregation's conversation about same-gender relationships. The Palma Ceia Session voted to affirm their pastors' discretion in deciding which marriages to perform in their sanctuary.
The New W-4.9000: A History
As of June 21, all amendments to the Book of Order proposed by the 221st General Assembly (2014), having been approved by a majority of the presbyteries, have now taken effect. Read the story of Amendment 14-F, which is now W-4.9000.
Encouraging the Supreme Court
As the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the cases that could bring nationwide marriage equality -- consolidated and known as Obergefell v. Hodges -- the Justices had access to numerous friend-of-the-court briefs encouraging a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs seeking the freedom to marry and the recognition of their marriages by all states. The Covenant Network was pleased to participate as an amicus curiae, joining a number of other faith-based groups
A Prayer for Courage
The Rev. Margaret LaMotte Torrence, Interim Pastor of Black Mountain (NC) Presbyterian Church, preached this sermon the day after the Presbytery of Western North Carolina affirmed Amendment 14-F. Her comments at the presbytery meeting are included: "I cannot imagine our marriage apart from the church. And how much harder it must be to nurture and sustain a relationship that runs against the grain of society’s norms. Yet we have told our gay brothers, our lesbian sisters—up until now—that their desire to live in covenant faithfulness has no place in the life of the Church. In so doing, it seems to me that we have robbed them of the companionship and the counsel of the Church, and we have robbed the Church of the full measure of their gifts—and their companionship—and their counsel. For anytime we are withholding part of who we are from our community, we are offering less than God would have us give. And anytime we have cut off part of the body, we are not fully the church."
What's Next?
Ben Fitzgerald-Fye is Director of Mission Services for Goodwill Industries of North Central PA, Inc., and a Ruling Elder at the Presbyterian Church of Punxsutawney; his husband, Sean, is a Deacon. Ben shared this reflection after he and Sean attended the Regional Conference at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill on Saturday, February 7: "As the right to marriage becomes a reality, we must also begin to address the responsibility of marriage."
Same-Sex Marriage and the Bible: A video series featuring Mark Achtemeier
The Covenant Network is pleased to offer a four-part video series featuring the Rev. Dr. Mark Achtemeier, author of The Bible’s Yes to Same-Sex Marriage: An Evangelical’s Change of Heart, discussing how his journey with the Scriptures led him away from his initial opposition to marriage for committed lesbian and gay couples, and toward wholehearted support for marriage equality.
The Marriage Amendment, 14-F: What it does and doesn't do
The 221st GA approved Amendment 14-F by a 71% margin – seemingly, expressing the strong desire to help the PC(USA) move beyond the decades-long conflict over human sexuality by ensuring that the Book of Order embraces the faithful views of a diverse church.
Session Support for the Marriage Amendment
The Session of University Presbyterian Church in San Antonio has adopted a resolution encouraging Mission Presbytery to approve the Marriage Amendment, 14-F.
What Not to Wear
A Sermon on Marriage Equality and the Church, by Layton E. WilliamsMatthew 22:1-14 ~ Springfield Regional Conference, October 11, 2014"...Marriage matters, but we haven’t fought this long and hard because it is the only thing that matters, we have fought because it is part of something so much bigger that matters so much more—and that is the covenant of God to which we are all invited and all called. And it matters how we show up, it matters what we clothe ourselves in, what we wear, because every act of covenant with God—between two people and between all people—is not just a celebration. It’s also an act of holy protest against brokenness..."
Marriage and Singleness - A Sermon Series
We are grateful to the Rev. Jon M. Walton, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, for permission to share his sermons:Marriage, Bible StyleWhy Marriage?Marriage: A Civil Contract Between Two Persons?One Is Not the Loneliest Number
Divided Votes, United People
CovNet Executive Director Brian Ellison reflects on the experience of the 221st General Assembly and how that gracious spirit can be mirrored when presbyteries consider amendments to the Book of Order and other potentially controversial issues.
Why the Marriage Amendment Matters
Tricia Dykers Koenig: Given that the GA's authoritative interpretation of W-4.9000 affirms that ministers may use their discretion in officiating at marriages of same-gender couples, does it matter if the presbyteries approve the proposed Marriage Amendment, 14-F?
Why Marriage Matters Now: Thoughts as the Church Talks About Same-Sex Marriage
Brian Ellison reflects on what's at stake in the approval of Amendment 14-F: fundamental Christian values, the quality and content of the Church's mission, the lives of people.
Benton: a change of heart, a plea for forgiveness
The Rev. Marc Benton's complaint against the Presbytery of Hudson River in 1999 led to a decision by the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission forming an important precedent in the development of the constitutional interpretation about marriage in the PC(USA). In a statement to be presented at the next meeting of the presbytery, Benton explains how he changed his mind about same-gender marriage, and asks forgiveness.
Why Marriage Matters
Marriage matters to persons who are beloved members of our churches - and of the human family. Listen to Chris and Andy tell their story.
What Do Presbyterians Say About Marriage?
David Jensen: "The biblical authors and Reformed heritage both assume that a marriage covenant is between a man and a woman. The question of same-sex marriage simply does not enter their interpretive world. Since the church must continually re-interpret its heritage in light of new questions in the attempt to be faithful to the Good News of Jesus Christ, Presbyterians are warranted in asking whether or not the distinctive strands of our tradition would allow for or prohibit same-sex unions or marriages. The burden for either side, in my opinion, lies in whether proposals for same-sex unions meet the theological criteria for marriages outlined in our tradition: May such unions, as Westminster stresses, serve the common good? Are they dim reflections of God’s covenant with humanity, as the Old Testament suggests? Do they direct human persons to one another and to the ultimacy of God’s Reign as the New Testament upholds? Do they, as Calvin urged, model restraint from sin and joy in companionship? Do they, however imperfectly, anticipate God’s communion with all creation in Christ, as our liturgy celebrates?"
UPDATE: Frequently Asked Questions About General Assembly Marriage Actions
We've heard from many congregations, pastors and mid-council staff that it would be helpful to have some clarity about what the 221st General Assembly did -- and did not do -- about marriage. To assist the church in processing the meaning of the authoritative interpretation and proposed amendment to W-4.9000, the Covenant Network has prepared the following list of questions and answers.