| From a Ghost Ranch seminar comes a call
to support the Assembly and the Moderator -- endorsed by Witherspoon and
the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship
Last updated on
06/23/08
The background of the Call
This statement was drafted and signed by 48 participants at the Ghost
Ranch seminar on globalization, August 6 through 13. It has been
endorsed by the Executive Committee of the Witherspoon Society, and by
the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Executive Committee.
As of February 18, 2002, the Call has been
endorsed by the sessions of six congregations, along with the
leadership of Presbyterian Women, and over 300 individuals.
On Sept. 25, 29 of the 33 living former
moderators of the church issued a
similar call for civility.
The Rev. Kent Winters-Hazelton, who was one of the
group at Ghost Ranch, writes about why it's necessary now to take
a stand for civility.
Elder Marjorie (Marge)
Coombs, of Spokane, Washington, has written sharing her dismay at
the attacks on Moderator Jack Rogers, and her appreciation for being
informed of what has been going on.
| Why
do we call for civility?
Some people have asked us why we've been
concerned about civility in our church. They have not seen any
evidence of the "consistent and vociferous personal
attacks directed at the Moderator" and the 213th
General Assembly, that were the stimulus for that call.
Cataloguing all the attacks would demand
more time than we can give to the task right now, but it's a
fair question, so we'll try to give some evidence for our
concern. |
Check here for a
little explanation of why this seems necessary at this time.
We welcome other endorsements by individuals or
groups. Please contact Doug King,
giving the name(s) you want us to list, and any identification of
church, place of residence, etc., that you want us to post.
Signers will be listed below
as we receive their names.
A CALL TO CIVILITY
We publicly affirm the Moderator of the 213th
General Assembly and the process whereby he was nominated and elected.
We are dismayed at the consistent and vociferous personal attacks
directed at the Moderator.
The Presbyterian Church (USA) shares a common
understanding of rule by elders. Sharing the same vows of ordination,
which include a common confession of Jesus Christ as Lord, and a
commitment to be led by the Scriptures and guided by the Confessions, we
strive to serve God in our capacities as officers of the local
congregation and for the whole church. 580 commissioners, elders and
pastors nominated and elected by presbyteries from every part of our
denomination, gathered in Louisville, and after listening to each of the
candidates for Moderator, overwhelmingly elected Jack Rogers as
Moderator of the 213th General Assembly.
During this meeting, the Assembly was not led astray by non-Presbyterian
forces. Rather it valued the gentle and graceful hand of its Moderator
as commissioners listened to the scriptures, discerned the leading of
the Spirit, shared their concerns, heard one another and cast
significant votes that reflected their faith and conscience.
These unprecedented attacks on the Moderator show a deep disrespect for
the Office of Moderator. The Moderator is not an individual, but the
representation of the General Assembly, indeed of the whole church.
Thus, this attack is an attack on each of the commissioners who
volunteered their time in service to the church, on the Assembly and its
work, and on the entire church. Such an attack violates our common vow
to affirm the peace, unity and purity of the church, as well as the
Gospel imperative to take the log out of one's own eye before removing
the speck in your neighbor's.
We urgently call for a return to civility in the debates before our
church. We appeal to the church to exhibit the fruits of the Spirit -
love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, generosity,
faithfulness and self-control - which find their roots in Jesus Christ.
On behalf of the Presbyterian Church (USA), we continue to affirm Jack
Rogers as Moderator of the 213th General Assembly.
Endorsed by these groups:
 | The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship |
| The Witherspoon Society |
| Session of Claremont Presbyterian Church,
Claremont, CA |
| Session of Valley Community Presbyterian Church,
Golden Valley, MN |
| Elders of the Session of First Presbyterian Church,
Spokane, WA |
| Session
of St. Mark Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, CA |
| The Session of First Presbyterian Church in Las
Vegas, New Mexico |
| Session of the First Presbyterian Church, Hartford,
CT |
| Moderators of the Churchwide Coordinating Team of
Presbyterian Women |
| Coordinating Team - Presbyterian Women in the
Presbytery of San Jose |
Signed by these individuals:
Participants in the Ghost Ranch
seminar:
|
Susan Fisher (No.Central Iowa
Presbytery) |
|
Anne L. Barstow (NYC) |
|
Lois R. Baker (New Covenant) |
|
David Zuverink (Palisades) |
|
Carolynn Winters-Hazelton (National
Capital) |
|
Kent Winters-Hazelton (San
Gabriel) |
|
Roger Scott Powers (San
Francisco) |
|
Dale Cooper (San Francisco) |
|
Erik Mason (Santa Fe) |
|
Annabelle Dirks (San Jose) |
|
John R. Stratford (Cascades) |
|
Anne Hale Johnson (National Capital) |
|
Karen L. Kiser (San Gabriel) |
|
Jane Hanna (Santa Fe) |
|
L. William Yolton (National
Capital) |
|
Ross Kinsler (San Gabriel) |
|
Margaret E. Howland (Hudson
River) |
|
Lon Jones (Palo Duro) |
|
Don Beisswenger (Middle
Tennessee) |
|
Jane W. Strange (Grace) |
|
Judy Bjorkman (Cayuga-Syracuse) |
|
Leonard B. Bjorkman
(Cayuga-Syracuse) |
|
Russell R. Morgan (Holston) |
|
Elisa L. Cooper (San Francisco) |
|
Jean Stratford (Cascades) |
|
Betty Kersting (Santa Fe) |
|
Arthur W. Johnson (National
Capital) |
|
Stephen Brown (Plains and
Peaks) |
|
Harold M. Barton (Western
Reserve) |
|
Ray Kersting (Santa Fe) |
|
Margaret R. Strane (San
Gabriel) |
|
Don William Clay (Pacific) |
|
Gloria Kinsler (San Gabriel) |
|
Marilyn Murphy White (New
Covenant) |
|
Bill Galvin (Baltimore) |
|
Christine Caton (Southern New
England) |
|
Melissa Schoekre (Philadelphia) |
|
Richard Symes (Albany) |
|
Patricia Symes (Albany) |
|
Jim Atwood (National Capital) |
|
Alice Winters (National Capital --
Bogotá, Colombia, South America) |
|
Cathleen Clay (Pacific) |
|
Aurelia T Fule (Santa Fe) |
|
Merilie Robertson, Presbytery of San
Fernando |
Members of Claremont Presbyterian Church,
Claremont, CA:
| Vondie L. Lozano |
| John Johnson |
| Jean Cochran |
| Dorothy Craft |
| Konrad Kingshill |
| Kerry Denton |
| Roger Denton |
| Pat Shumard |
| Richard Sheridan |
| Miriam A Berger |
| Mollie Hopper |
| Rev. Bill Hopper |
| Elise Harber |
| Rev. Jay Harber |
| Elaine J. Walker |
| Mary Ann Jackson |
| Azike Ntephe |
| Diane Ntephe |
| Ruth Carrie |
| Wendy Menefee-Libey |
| David Menefee-Libey |
| Marilyn Hamilton |
| Laurie Haney |
| Rev. Charles Goodrich |
| Margaret Goodrich |
Others:
|
| Donald W. Jackson, MD, Claremont, CA |
|
| Barbara Gaddis |
|
| Trina Zelle |
|
| Richard Hong |
|
| Gene TeSelle |
|
| Doug King, Woodbury, MN |
|
| Rev. Ms.Celeste M. Lasich, First Presbyterian
Church, Tracy, CA. |
|
| Rod Martin |
|
| Rev. John A. Shuck, pastor, First Presbyterian
Church, Billings, Montana |
|
| David E. Roberts, Aberdeen, Scotland |
|
| Alice M. Groome, Pleasantville, NJ |
|
| Rev. James R. Tilton, HR. Leawood, KS. Member of Heartland
Presbytery |
|
| Tim Stern, Minister Commissioner, 213th GA, Presbytery of
Baltimore |
|
| Virginia W. Davidson, Elder and member of the Downtown U. P.
Church, Rochester, NY |
|
| Janet Arbesman (Presbytery of Grand Canyon and
Vice-Moderator of the 213th General Assembly) |
|
| Hedwig N. Lodwick, Pasadena, CA |
|
| Robert C. Lodwick, Cincinnati Presbytery |
|
| Earl A. Todt, Elder, member, First Presbyterian Church, Waverly,
OH |
|
| Patricia G. Todt, Elder, member, First Presbyterian Church,
Waverly, OH |
|
| William R. Knox, member of Salem Presbytery |
|
| Herbert D. Valentine, interim pastor, Philadelphia
PA, Moderator 203rd GA |
|
| Keith I. Brown |
|
| Dorothy J. Brown |
|
| Gordon L. Shull, professor emeritus of political
science, the College of Wooster |
|
| Jean Rodenbough, Hunger Action Enabler for Salem
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Serena Sullivan, Claremont Presbyterian Church |
|
| John E. Harris, Pastor, Bunker Hill Presbyterian
Church, Bunker Hill, WV (Shenandoah Presbytery) |
|
| Rev. Deborah Fortel, Pastor, Valley
Community Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis, MN |
|
| Martha Moler, Rochester, NY |
|
| Rev. Victoria L. Moss, Benfield-Vick Chaplain,
Davis and Elkins College, Elkins, WV |
|
| Steve Morrison and Meg Morrison, Altadena, CA |
|
| Rev. Fred H. Anderson Stated Supply, First
Presbyterian Church, Bridgewater, South Dakota, and St. Paul's
Presbyterian Church, Emery, South Dakota (Presbytery of South
Dakota) |
|
| Bob Layton, Elder, member Meadowthorpe
Presbyterian Church, Lexington, Kentucky. |
|
| Manley and Ann Olson, St. Paul, MN. |
|
| Rev. Donald L. Smith, Synod of Southern California
and Hawaii |
|
| Henry G. Brinton (National Capital) |
|
| The Rev. Kip Harris, Garden City, Michigan (member
of Detroit Presbytery). |
|
| Rev. Mae Hicks, HR, of Sun Lakes, Arizona, the
Grand Canyon Presbytery. |
|
| Byron C. Bangert, Bloomington, IN
(Minister-at-large, Presbytery of Ohio Valley). |
|
| Robert J. Rogers, Clergy – Donegal Presbytery;
Interim Associate, Paoli Presbyterian Church |
|
| Norb Peil, Union Presbyterian Church,
Brownwood, Texas (Palo Duro Presbytery) |
|
| David L. Carlton, Elder, Trinity Presbyterian
Church, Nashville, TN. |
|
| Rev. Kurt J. Kremlick, Jr., H.R., Lake Michigan
Presbytery |
|
| The Rev. Dr. Charles Valenti-Hein, Pastor, Memorial
Presbyterian Church, Appleton, WI, Minister Commissioner to the
213th General Assembly from the Presbytery of Winnebago |
|
| Rev. David G. Gelzer, Swarthmore, PA |
|
| Rolf Christen, Elder, Presbyterian Church, Green
City, Missouri |
|
| Rev. John Timberlake, HR Shenandoah Presbytery |
|
| Carol Kaufman, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Dick Johnson, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Ray W. Heer, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Clara Heer, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Dr. H. Buchannan-Barrow, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Bryan Cole, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Fred R. Wilson, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Ruth L. Auld, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. William D. Auld, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Bob Lehman (Former EP, Hudson
River Presbytery) |
|
| Esther S. Gutierrez, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Harry Brunger, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Marilyn I. Brunger, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. John O. Najarian, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| June G. Scholes, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Margaret Strane, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Arthur E French III, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Carolyn V. French, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Donn Grail (Pacific
Presbytery) |
|
| Evelyn Thomas (Past Moderator, San
Gabriel Presbytery) |
|
| Gladys M. Lehman, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Katharine Altaner, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| M. Joy Beanland, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Jane Dempsey Douglass, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Gordon K. Douglass, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Thomas E. Duggan, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| George Inadomi (Member General
Assembly Council) |
|
| Jeanette Inadomi, San Gabriel
Presbytery |
|
| Rev. Robert I. Miller |
|
| Barbara T. Miller |
|
| Rev. Kimberly Hyatt, Peace Presbyterian Church,
Jacksonville, FL -- Presbytery of St. Augustine |
|
| Robert M. Healey, Ph.D. Member (HR), John Knox
Presbytery, Professor of Church History Emeritus, University of
Dubuque Theological Seminary |
|
| Kyle Holberg, San Diego, CA |
|
| Christine L. Baker, Presbytery of Genesee Valley |
|
| Anne Smith, Elder, Indio, CA |
|
| Elizabeth Letzler, First Presbyterian Church,
Baldwin, NY |
|
| Rev. Madison M. Highfill, Wilmington, NC |
|
| Rev. June Hicks Highfill, Wilmington, NC |
|
| A. Allen Brindisi, Pastor, Davidson College
Presbyterian Church, Davidson, North Carolina |
|
| Deane F. Lavender, Beaver, PA, Honorably
Retired |
|
| Jim Tippens, Efland, NC (Honorably Retired) |
|
| Darry S. Carlstone, Elder, Santa Fe Presbyterian
Church Edmond, OK |
|
| Rev. Drew G. Travis, Pastor, First
Presbyterian, Plainview, Texas |
|
| Bill LeMosy, member of Des Moines Presbytery |
~~~~~
The following members of one family,
who are Presbyterian elders (not all currently active) "would like
to express our support for and appreciation to Jack Rogers, Moderator,
PCUSA"
| Carolyn Knight
Tamblyn, elder, First Presbyterian, Auburn, AL |
| J. William Tamblyn, elder, First Presbyterian,
Auburn, AL |
| Maria Tamblyn Folmar, elder, Briarwood
Presbyterian, Jackson, MS |
| Martha Tamblyn Earnhardt, elder, Immanuel
Presbyterian, Montgomery, AL |
| James M. Earhnardt, elder, Immanuel Presbyterian,
Montgomery, AL |
| Anne Tamblyn Shaw, elder, First Presbyterian,
Auburn, AL |
| Martha Knight Hall, elder,
Presbyterian Church of Dadeville, AL |
~~~~~
| Brian Wallace –– Genesee Valley Presbytery |
| Rev. Jamie Miller, Minister Commissioner to the
213th GA, Wabash Valley Presbytery |
| Rev. Jane S. Winters, Dundee & Weston
Presbyterian Churches, Geneva Presbytery |
| Rev. Dr. David S. Barnard - Geneva Presbytery |
| Susanna M. Reckard |
| Frieda Yakish |
| Lee C. McDonald |
| Claire K. McDonald |
| Debbie Eldridge |
| Julia Hutchison |
| Ruth Currie |
| Clyde E. Griffith, Philadelphia Presbytery |
| Missie and Sam Lanham (HR), Fredericksburg, Texas |
| Rev. Ellen T. Lemen (Presbytery of Grand Canyon) |
| Rev. Wiloughby H. Lemen (Presbytery of Grand
Canyon) |
| Dean K. Thompson, Charleston, West Virginia |
| Charles M. Webster (Lake Erie Presbytery) |
| Jerry Shave, Parish Associate First Presbyterian Church United of
Syracuse |
| Carroll and Lucy Teeter, First Presbyterian Church, Winter Haven,
Florida |
| Rev. Dr. K. Edward Brandt, Pastor, Red Clay Creek Presbyterian
Church |
| Brad Braley, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa,
North Central Iowa Presbytery |
| Dr. Leo Nussbaum, elder, St Petersburg, FL |
| Mrs. Janet Nussbaum, St. Petersburg, FL |
| Ben Ormand, Brevard, NC |
| James M. York, MD, Lighthouse Point, FL |
| Elizabeth M. York, Lighthouse Point, FL |
| Rev. Ronald A Pfeifer, Palestine, IL |
| Rev. Esther K Pfeifer, Palestine, IL |
| Dr. John A. Hunter, Pastor, Memorial Presbyterian Church, St
Augustine, FL |
| Bob Frankenberg, Pastor, Mobile, AL |
| The Rev. Kimberly Buechner Fouse, Cold Spring, KY |
| Rev. Robert I. Miller, Duarte, CA |
| Rev. Gary W. Hardesty, a civil supporter! Starke, FL |
| Jeanne Marshall Pritchard, LaJolla, CA |
| The Rev. Dr. Francis W. Pritchard, LaJolla, CA |
| Stan L. Cobbs, Elder, FPC Kerrville, Hunter, TX |
| Sara Jean Jackson, Houston, TX |
| Mary B. Paul, a life long Presbyterian, a preacher kid |
| James A. Stuckey, Columbus, OH |
| David G. Gelzer Ph.D., Swarthmore, PA |
| The Rev. Carolyn Close Grohman, Columbus, IN |
| Ray U. Tanner, Chair of The Board, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Foundation |
| Robert A. Heimach, a minister of the PC(USA), Bluffton, IN |
| Rev. Donald E. Meeder, HR, Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| James E. Atwood, Springfield, VA |
| Roxana M. Atwood, Springfield, VA |
| Merilie Robertson, Conoga Pk, CA |
| Dale G. Cooper, Walnut Creek, CA |
| Elsie L. Cooper, Walnut Creek, CA |
| The Rev. Lois Ann Wolff, Interim Pastor, First Presbyterian
Church, Hudson Falls, NY, Albany Presbytery |
| Bill Hollister, Marblehead, MA |
| George A. McCall, Missouri Union Presbytery |
| Neta McCall, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia MO |
| Carolyn B. Stephens, Oklahoma City, OK |
| Margaret Burrows, First
Presbyterian Puyallup, WA |
| Jean Vieten - elder Redlands CA |
| The Rev. Ann Schwartz, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church,
Hoopeston, Illinois (member of the Presbytery of Southeastern
Illinois) |
| Sally Foulks, Pueblo, CO - Commissioned Lay
Pastor |
| Ruth See, Presbyterian elder - Harrisonburg,
VA |
| Dr. Ray Heer, Pasadena, CA |
| Kate Bottorff, Assoc. Pastor, 1st Presbyterian
Church, Pendleton, OR |
| Rev. Rodger W. Allen, pastor in Washington
Presbytery |
| Rev. Laurie Williams, pastor in Washington
Presbytery |
| Richard Z. Hartranft, Bryn Mawr, PA |
| Rev. Gary A. Wilburn, Sr. Pastor, 1st Presbyterian
Church, New Canaan, CT |
| Richard & Pat Kriege, Elders, Sacramento,
CA |
| Florence M Holman, Elder, Presbytery Moderator,
Presbytery of Sacramento |
| Herb Christ, Stated Clerk, Presbytery of San
Diego |
| The Rev. Dr. E. Dean Finley, Greencastle, IN |
| Rev. Douglas R. Potter, retired pastor, Twin Cities
Area Presbytery Guy and Rai Schmalz, Harrisonburg, VA |
| Rev. Gary Gard, Pastor |
| Rev. Dr. Thomas W. Blair, Pastor, Trinity
Presbyterian Church, Hendersonville, NC |
| Dennis L. Maher, Delavan IL. |
~~~~~~~~
Elders of the Session of First Presbyterian Church,
Spokane, WA, have joined in sending their support, with a note saying
"We pray for peace in our church and for God to bless you in this
difficult situation."
| Don Canaday |
| Mike Nielsen |
| Ellen Klohe |
| Hampton W. lrwin, M.D |
| Pamela Kish |
| Alva Kiesbuy |
| Jerry Jensen |
| Eunice Snyder |
| Larry Yates |
| Wanda Mason |
| Patti Aspinwall |
| Curt Shoemaker |
| Brian Trefry |
| John Osterback |
| Judith Lang |
| Mary Beth Baker |
| Christie Miller |
| Bruce Burda |
| Marjorie J. Coombs |
~~~~~~~~
| Rev. Gerald D. Lyman, Riverside Presbytery |
| |
