Rev. Louise Westfall, Central Presbyterian Church
I attended the Assembly while working from Washington DC and caring for my infant grandson after his parents’ child care plans fell through due to Covid. There was something poignant and powerful about the presence of a baby as we deliberated, debated, praised God and protested injustice, journeying from lament to hope. The newly-elected co-moderators displayed an image from Ghana called “sankofah”---a bird with its feet forward, turned backward to carry a precious egg from the past into the future. The symbolism resonated in my heartfelt prayers for a church that has continuity with the past, yet trains its eye towards a thriving tomorrow, for my grandson and all the little children of the world.
The Assembly affirmed what it means to be reformed, yet in need of reformation. Black lives matter. The major piece of legislation passed (from the much-reduced docket) was a sweeping call to acknowledge the sin of racism and eradicate it. Every congregation and council is urged to consider its identity and mission through an anti-racist lens. The Poor People’s Campaign “Open Letter to National Lawmakers about Systemic Racism” is a great resource and guide for action. The Assembly offering was designated for a Baltimore presbytery program of Black youth empowerment, and was over $60,000.
Yet the old patterns persisted. When a commissioner asked to name the particular impact of racism on Black women and girls, she was essentially ignored. Flashes of resentment were exhibited by white people on more than one occasion, our privilege showing like a piece of toilet paper stuck to the heel of your shoe. We seemed more concerned about the relatively small expense for social justice programs than funding for larger, but more traditional programs. We were quick to claim “hope” rather than staying in the uncomfortable space of lament. We have much more work and listening to do.
There was a certain exhaustion at the end----partly from the intensity of technology, but even more from wondering why things seem so slow to change. Co-Moderator Greg Bentley told us a story in his final charge. There was a Colorado mountain man known for his good deeds, honesty, generosity, and kindness. Day in and day out, year after year, he showed up to support people in need. A young seminarian was curious about why he kept at it. He chuckled and pointed to his dog. One day that ole’ hound lit off after a rabbit. His furious barking riled up other dogs who joined in the hunt. They ran and ran and ran, but after awhile the other dogs dropped off. Only my dog kept on. And why was that? He paused and finished: Because he was the only one who saw the rabbit.
At this General Assembly, we had many opportunities to “see the rabbit”-----to keep our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Now let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.
Thank you for the privilege of serving as a commissioner.
---Louise Westfall, Central
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Rev. Bill Davis, Member at Large
It’s a bit appropriate that we’re giving our report about the 224th General Assembly the week after Reformation Sunday.
For this past June we saw ways that the Presbyterian Church (USA) has reformed and ways that we must continue to be always reforming.
Reformed because we met safely, gathering online from coast to coast, and beyond the borders of these United States, utilizing technology was a gift during this global pandemic.
Electing Elona Street-Steward and Gregory Bentley as Co-Moderators, and re-electing J. Herbert Nelson as Stated Clerk were Spirit-led, “for such a time as this”, decisions.
Always reforming, because as a general assembly, and as a denomination, we still have much work to do.
There were still too many moments where old white men spoke disrespectfully and inappropriately to our newly elected moderators.
There is still too much mansplaining of the good, faithful work, female staff members, and specifically females of color, do in the national office.
Even the silence to close the assembly on Saturday afternoon, being held to honor and remember the lives of the many people of color who have been unjustly killed by police was interrupted by a white man with a divergent point of view.
So to end my reflections on this virtual GA, I ask us to hold one minute in silence to reflect on the ways the white majority of our denomination has been complicit in injustices perpetuated upon people of color, and specifically black women.
Rev. Bill Davis
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Ruling Elder, Daphne Rice-Allen, Peoples Presbyterian Church
I want to thank Verniece Vafeades and Wanda Beauman for encouraging me to apply to be a delegate for the 224th General Assembly.
I admit I was very apprehensive at first. Although I teach Sunday School, and have served on Session off and on for some 17 years, my honest knowledge of the history of the Presbyterian church and the bible for that matter could use some real work. So, I talked with others from the Denver Presbytery and did what most people do I “googled” and found myself getting excited.
After phone and in person interviews, I received a phone call and a formal letter saying I had been selected to be a represent at the 224th General Assembly.
Once I got the hang of getting online and receiving all kinds of online and printed documentation, as well as attended one or two training sessions, then COVID 19 hit.
Everything and everyone went into over drive, as we all wondered how would the GA committee crunch a 7 day in person General Assembly into an electronic online interactive program that included voting for some 400 plus people, all over the US, with four different time zones, into 8 hours for two days? With God’s Help they did it!
I remember Friday mornings opening pray was a long but thankful statement of pulling this undertaking together in such a short time With God’s Help.
What struck me the most over the 2 days was the complexity of being a “Presbyterian.” We spent over half the day on Friday dealing with, and voting on, approving how to conduct the General Assembly electronically. There was a lengthy explanation of rules and procedures even though a lot of the information was provided in the training sessions.
The issue was there were no rules in the Book of Order for dealing with electronic voting at a GA. So, language had to be put into the minutes of the 224th General Assembly addressing electronic voting.
Another thing that struck me over the 2 days was how words matter, and who they matter to, and why they matter. There was a lot of social justice/social injustice language that people used throughout the entry conference; as well as my cause vs your cause. I found myself feeling like things where getting little nit-picky depending on the Overture or the Motion. But I realized if a word, or action mattered to me, I too would want to be heard and respected.
Being a Christian is hard work, and it is even harder work when you have skin in the game, as the saying goes. Now, factor in which side of that issue you are on. I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in the 224th GA and I look forward to the 225th General Assembly.
Sincerely,
Daphne Rice-Allen
Peoples Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
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This was not my first General Assembly. I attended the one in Atlanta in 1983 when the “Northern” and “Southern” churches merged to form PC(USA). It was a joyous occasion with us marching in the streets after the vote.
Ruling Elder Pat Queen, Green Mountain Presbyterian Church
There was as much dissention in the 224th GA as there was prior to the merger. There were very pointed comments from the ‘good old boy’s network’ as Bill mentioned and very anti-Black, anti-women sentiments expressed by white men. White privilege and power were very evident in all the proceedings.
By the end of the scheduled business I was feeling very discouraged because even the items that passed on systemic racism, racial injustice and declaring Black lives matter were not all inclusive, excluding Black women and girls, and had no teeth. The disruption Bill referred to during the 8:46 of silence was nothing short of shameful. I could see no way for bringing us all back together.
Then came the closing worship service.
The Scripture was the familiar Ezekiel 37:1-10, Dry Bones. The prayer and the music accomplished for me what I didn’t think was possible – especially the 3 songs chosen:
I Am Your Servant, Honey Tree
I Am Your Breath, Camille Metoyer Moten and Jim Mertz
I Will Never Leave You Alone, Janet Paschal
And the closing charge from Co-Moderator, Elona Street-Stewart:
“Let us be resolved and to repent and to live out the justices of God’s kingdom.”
We have our marching orders for the 225th GA.