Covenant Network

Covenant Network

A Statement by the Board of Directors
of the
Covenant Network of Presbyterians

September 29, 2004

Time to Move Forward

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians has been committed since its founding to the full participation of lesbian and gay Presbyterians in the life and ordained leadership of the church. We will support efforts in presbyteries and at the 217th General Assembly in 2006 that advance this goal.

The church -- particularly its faithful gay and lesbian members -- has waited too long for change on this issue. Now is the time to move forward by removing G-6.0106b and any other impediments to ordination. We will work with others who share this vision of the church -- many of whom have been engaged in this struggle much longer than we have.

The Covenant Network reaffirms its long-standing commitment to work for the unity of the church. We eagerly await the final report of the Theological Task Force on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church. We hope and pray that it will help Presbyterians unite in ministry and mission.

As we have from our inception, the Covenant Network will continue to engage in dialogue with those in the church with whom we disagree. We encourage such conversations across the church. We also reiterate our support for those who may be subject to charges in the courts of the church.

Finally, the Covenant Network urges all Presbyterians to trust that the Holy Spirit is at work among us, moving the church in a direction "as generous and just as God's grace."

The 2003 Covenant Network conference drew a record number of participants, with over 600 registered. [11-12-03]

Gene TeSelle reports on many of the theological ideas presented in worship and addresses, and on the discussions of differing ideas about strategy and timing in dealing with the PCUSA ban on LGBT ordination.

Covenant Network conference draws over 500 to seek ways of living faithfully "in the meantime" [11-11-02]

Gene TeSelle, Witherspoon Issues Analyst, reports on the 2002 conference of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, held in Minneapolis on November 7 - 9.

Some specific issues reported here include:
Dealing with G-6.0106b
Seeking theological common ground
Times of worship and preaching

The latest update on plans for the covenant Network Conference
November 7-9, 2002.

Walter Mondale will address Covenant Network Conference

from Pamela Byers, Executive Director of the Covenant Network

[10-7-02]

The Covenant Network of Presbyterians is pleased to announce that former Vice President Walter Mondale will address the 2002 Covenant Conference, "Confessing Christ Today: Seeking Common Ground." The conference will take place Thursday, November 7 through Saturday, November 9 Westminster Presbyterian Church Minneapolis Mr. Mondale will speak on how his own Christian faith has informed his decades of public service and his understanding of current issues, including the place of gay and lesbian people in society and in the church. Mr. Mondale worships at Westminster Church, site of the conference.

Hundreds of Presbyterians from across the country will gather in Minneapolis to explore together how Christians can faithfully claim and proclaim Jesus Christ in a world of great diversity and rapid change. The conference is sponsored by the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, a national group of clergy and lay Presbyterians working toward "a church as generous, just, and faithful as God's grace."

The conference keynote address, "Christian Evangelism in a Pluralistic Society: A Reformed Perspective," will follow the former Vice President's remarks on Friday morning, November 8. The keynote speaker is Shirley Guthrie, Professor Emeritus of Systematic Theology at Columbia Theological Seminary and the author of several widely taught books including Christian Doctrine and Always Being Reformed: Christian Faith for a Fragmented World. Rabbi Joseph Edelheit, recently retired Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel, Minneapolis, the largest Jewish institution in Minnesota, will respond to Dr. Guthrie's paper. Questions and comments from the floor will then be invited.

Other plenary addresses include "Reconciliation Matters: The Confession of 1967 Now and Then," by John Wilkinson, Pastor of the Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY, and "Who Do You Say That I Am? Believing in Jesus Christ in the 21st Century" by Anna Case-Winters, Associate Professor of Theology at Chicago's McCormick Seminary.

An African drum, a Gaelic harp, the Westminster Sanctuary Choir, the Macalaster College African Ensemble, the Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus, and children's choirs from the Westminster and House of Hope Presbyterian Churches will enliven four varied worship services during the conference. Special music includes an anthem by Stephen Paulus setting texts from the Confession of 1967. Four of the denomination's outstanding preachers will lead the services:

	Curtis Jones, Pastor of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, Baltimore, and Chair of the Caucus of Black Presbyterians
	Andrew Foster Connors, Associate Pastor of Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Memphis
	Cynthia Jarvis, Pastor of the Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia
	Linda Loving, Pastor of the House of Hope Presbyterian Church, St. Paul

There will also be a meditative Taizé service early Saturday morning.

Dr. Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), and Dr. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk, will also offer remarks. More than 30 workshops will help participants deepen their understanding of the church's confessions, explore how to share and show the Gospel in the world, and jointly consider how to move the Presbyterian Church closer to being "as generous, just, and faithful as God's grace." Full registration and other conference information may be found on the Covenant Network's website, www.covenantnetwork.org .

# # #

Pamela Byers, Executive Director
Covenant Network of Presbyterians
2515 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 351-2196
FAX: (415) 351-2198
pambyers@covenantnetwork.org

www.covenantnetwork.org

The Covenant Network has posted its latest newsletter, which includes the announcement the Joanna Adams and Eugene Bay have been elected as new Co-Moderators. plans for the 2002 Covenant Conference, some of the addresses and sermons from the 2001 Conference, and much more. [12-22-01]

Covenant Network newsletter is online.

The April 2001 issue of the Covenant Connection newsletter is now online. It offers a brief letter from the Cop-Moderators, the full text of William Placher's address at last fall's Covenant Conference, a preview of some overtures making their way to the 2001 General Assembly, and much more. [3-12-01]

Covenant Network Board supports ongoing listening and conversation

Meeting earlier in May, 2000, in preparation for the upcoming General Assembly, the Board of Directors of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians voted to continue its advocacy of ongoing dialogue within the church about issues on which Presbyterians differ, and reaffirmed its commitment to working for a fully inclusive church.

Click here for the full report from Covenant Network

Howard Rice objects to misuse of "Historical Principles" document

Former G.A. Moderator Howard Rice, who has frequently contributed essays on the spiritual dimension of progressive activism to Witherspoon's Network News, chaired the committee that drafted a statement on "Historic Principles, Conscience and Church Government." This document was commended to the church by the 1999 General Assembly as a resource for the conferences on "The Unity We Seek in Our Diversity."

He now writes (on the Covenant Network web site) to argue that "The Special Committee which wrote it and the Assembly which adopted it were seeking harmony through diversity, not unity through enforcement of law."

Struggle ... or peace-seeking??

Responding to a recent editorial in Presbyterian Outlook, and a simultaneous note from Covenant Network Executive Director Pam Byers, Witherspoon President Gene TeSelle sent this letter to the Editor of Outlook:

~~~~~~~~~

Your editorial (March 6) concluded a summary of the controversy over Women's Ministries with the statement,

"We're involved in a long-term struggle. Advocates at both ends of the spectrum believe their theological views can be mutually exclusive--therefore they cannot tolerate their opponents' position."

This editorial illustrates a point I made in a short piece in the Outlook (June 3, 1991) entitled "Toward a Theory of the Belligerent Moderate." I pointed out that, when there is controversy in the church, a typical response is to say "a plague on both their houses" and often to suggest that the left must be provoking the right. It's an understandable attitude, but a defensive one, an attempt to avoid taking a stand. It washes its hands of any attempt to discern the issues or examine the methods used. It does not address the difference between seeking greater inclusiveness in the church and keeping the door closed or purging those who are already inside. It ignores the gross imbalance of financial power between the right and the left. And it says nothing about the right's repeated rejection of relationships of accountability to the General Assembly and other governing bodies.

The same day, I received a Lenten message from Pam Byers of the Covenant Network, calling on recipients to work with others in their presbyteries to plan conferences on The Unity We Seek in Our Diversity as part of their Lenten discipline. Not exactly a message of intolerance and rejection.

Eugene TeSelle
Professor of Church History and Theology
Vanderbilt University

And here is Pam's note, sent on behalf of Covenant Network:

Dear friends--

As each of us seeks during the coming weeks to live more fully into the reign of God, may I invite your attention to this excellent suggestion on the denomination's website today:

"Instead of giving up sweets or cigarettes for Lent, consider giving up the attitude that others are weird, wrong or rigid, and try to see them as God's beloved children given to us as beloved neighbors, and sisters and brothers in Christ."

I hope all of you are working with others in your presbytery on planning or executing conferences on The Unity We Seek in Our Diversity. (And please let me know about it, if you are.) We have just put up a whole suite of pages with suggestions and resources on our website (www.covenantnetwork.org), and there is a growing body of materials on the denomination's Unity in Diversity site as well.

Can working on such conferences be part of your Lenten discipline? Or perhaps during Lent you can invite a presbytery colleague or colleagues with whom you suspect you do NOT agree, for a meal and an honest conversation -- trusting that the same Spirit that "binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church" will also help to open our ears and our hearts to each other.

I wish each of you and your congregations a profound and renewing Lenten journey.

Faithfully yours,

Pam

Pamela Byers
Executive Director
Covenant Network of Presbyterians
2515 Fillmore St., San Francisco, CA 94115

(415) 351-2196 FAX (415) 351-2198
pambyers@covenantnetwork.org

Covenant Network dialogue with Presbyterian Coalition hits a snag, but the Network remains committed During the 211^th General Assembly in June, 1999, the Covenant Network initiated an informal, confidential conversation with leaders of the conservative Presbyterian Coalition. The Co-Moderators of More Light Presbyterians were also active participants in the dialogue. The shared aim was to bridge the growing gap between the differing sides of the PC(USA) through sharing of faith stories and exploring together ways to move forward together. For that purpose, both groups agreed that their meetings would not be secret, but that they would be confidential -- an essential element in building trust. The groups met again in September of 1999, and agreed to meet for a third time on January 12, 2000, in Chicago. Jack Haberer of the Coalition and Laird Stuart of the Network, and others in the meeting, renewed their understanding of the need for confidentiality. Then just two days before the Chicago meeting, members of Covenant Network and More Light Presbyterians learned that Parker Williamson, editor of The Presbyterian Layman, had been invited as one of the Coalition representatives. Mr. Williamson, who has a long-standing policy of refusing to respect the confidentiality of any meeting, made clear that he would not hold this meeting in confidence either. He offered to Pam Byers, Executive Director of Covenant Network, on his willingness not to publish any comments which were explicitly stated to be "off the record." Since the whole process of the conversations was built on a commitment to mutual trust and confidentiality, and on an equally important commitment to more forward for the well-being of the Presbyterian Church, the participants from Covenant Network and MLP decided that they could not attend the planned meeting. In spite of this setback to their hopes for genuine conversation, Covenant Network leaders remain committed to the process. Co-Moderators Deborah Block and Laird Stuart on January 28 issued the following statement: The Covenant Network of Presbyterians remains committed to these conversations with Presbyterians of other views, as they were originally conceived and practiced. We believe the present tensions within the denomination call for the building of friendships and understanding across the issues that divide brothers and sisters in Christ. We also believe confidentiality is the best medium within which to build trust and goodwill. The decision not to attend and participate in the discussion on January 12 was difficult and deeply disappointing. The need for discussion is as urgent as ever. Even if agreement is not reached on matters of ordination standards, at the very least misunderstandings about each other can be clarified and common convictions can be identified and honored. We need such discussions. We in the Covenant Network of Presbyterians hope they can begin again.
To read the complete Covenant Network report on this event, click here to visit their own web site.	*And if you'd like to see the Layman's "report" on an event in which its editor played the starring role, click here.*	For a report on the November 1999 conference of the Covenant Network,