Pastoral Perspective: On Times of Transition

Rick Warren, pastor, author of "The Purpose Driven Life", recently remarked on the subject of grief in the following comment posted via Twitter.
(This may be timely even for our community in light of yesterday's accident.)

RickWarren

@RickWarren Rick Warren

You never get OVER grief; You get THRU it. Grief is God's tool for transitioning thru life's losses. Grief is healthy.

19 Jul via Twitter from <http://twitter.com/#!/RickWarren/status/93337220592836609>

 
 

Pastor Rick's statements on this topic speak to transitional events which bear some striking similarities of resemblance in my own recent, personal experience—of grieving and otherwise. I have also heard others in grief groups from other settings for whom these same remarks sound resonant with their situations.

 
 

The occurrence of grief at the loss of a loved one is an ongoing process that one goes through. Rather than attempting to "get over it", it can be more helpful and beneficial to actually allow oneself to experience it.

 
 

Now that may mean different things and/or different ways to do so for different people. But I can tell you that whenever I have tried to either ignore, suppress, or dismiss a wave of grief that may suddenly begin to wash over me, sooner or later it eventually backfires on me and an ensuing backlash seems to imminently happen upon me with sometimes even greater intensity. These bursts of grief can at times be, if you will, a beast of a burden.

 
 

As emotional creatures, our humanity appears to bear witness all the more from Scripture with regard to our being "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the image of and by our Creator. The words "human" and "humility" can be derived from the Latin "humus" which pertains to the ground of our being from the soil and dust of the earth. We had best remember this while navigating through the transitions of our lives.

 
 

Whenever we are tempted to deny that reality and the truth of where and how God has placed us in the grander scheme of things in space and time, the opportunity presents itself for us to either embrace the experience or be braced by it. We are after all, as the saying goes, only human. Who do we really think we are… to act as if we could control such an involuntary event of the soul? That belies the essence of our substance. What pride and arrogance for us to posit that we can ultimately hold the reins of our destiny!

 
 

No, dear beloved ones. The Lord of life is either the one and only Lord over all, or He is not Lord at all. If there is one constant, continually echoing strain of thought from the theology and tradition of our reformed faith, it is that Jesus Christ is Lord. Indeed, a high view of God's sovereignty is the very hallmark of our belief as God's people and children of the Lord. And this bears witness in and through all things, including the experience of grief and loss itself as they might be used as the Lord's instrument to help us in and through times of transition to the glory of God.

 
 

So whatever happens, come what may, let the power, presence, comfort and healing grace of God's Holy Spirit carry each and everyone in and through the challenges of the days before us. The times ahead hold the promises of God to find their yes anew in Christ Jesus our Lord!

 
 

To Him be the glory,

Pastor Rex

Do you know any self-identifying "ex-"church attenders?

"I'm an ex-Catholic." That's what some folks from the Roman Catholic tradition are apparently referring to themselves these days. On NBC's Today show, host Matt Lauer and company recently visited the Vatican. In an interview with the archbishop from New York, Timothy Dolan, they remarked in conversation together that for the first time, there's a sizeable group of Catholics who are saying, "I'm no longer Catholic." Father Dolan acknowledged that we've always had a group of Catholics who say, "I'm kind of lax [in attending church]", but "these are people leaving [the church]".

 
 

"42% say they don't attend services on a weekly basis. That can't be good news for the church. Have you been able to get your arms around the main reason... the main reason why it's happening?" the archbishop was asked. He responded:

"Those are chilling, sobering statistics and we bishops have to look at it square in the eye. No pastor is going to be content with statistics like that, to get our people back, to excite them about the faith. That remains a high pastoral problem.

Why are people leaving? I think some of them are leaving because of scandal. I think some of them are leaving because of materialism and temptations in life. I think some are leaving because they're on one side or the other that maybe the Catholic church has modernized too much and others because it hasn't modernized [enough]."

 
 

It may suffice to say at the very least that this is a multi-faceted challenge for members of the church in leadership to grapple and wrestle with in attempting to address. One aspect that comes to mind has to do with our sense of self. What does it really mean for us to find our true identity in Christ? How do we view and regard "the church"? Do we have right thinking and well informed understanding of God's intended purpose for the body of Christ that is "the church"?

 
 

These are questions of ecclesiology and missiology that challenge the ongoing formation of our theology of the church of Jesus Christ. How we view ourselves in the greater missional context of the whole community of believers in Christ worldwide will in a fundamental way impact our actions and/or inactions in matters of religion, faith and spirituality.

 
 

One thing I have come to in thinking further upon these things… It's going to take more than just any one person. But it can and does begin with one encouraging another. Do you know any self-identifying "ex-"church attenders? Encourage them to attend again! Find a way to winsomely invite them once more to experience God's ever welcoming, loving, open arms of embrace with kindness and grace.

 
 

With our New Castle community's inordinate amount of snow days used this past winter into spring having extended the school year into the middle of June, you and I may be tempted to take as big and as long a break as we can from the regularity of scheduled activities throughout the short summer months we have left. And yet, I want to encourage you and me/myself, all of us to consider and/or reconsider.

 
 

The writer in Hebrews (10:24-25) exhorts the hearer of the Word in this way: Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 
 

As king David proclaimed in the Psalms, may each and every one of us in Christ also say: I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord!"

 
 

Pastor Rex

PFR Responds to the Passage of 10-A

Subject	PFR Responds to the Passage of 10-A
From	PFR
Sent	Tuesday, May 10, 2011 10:27 PM

 
 

BREAKING NEWS FROM presbyterians for renewal

May 2011

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,     Amendment 10-A has now been approved by a majority of the presbyteries within the PC(USA).  While the ongoing voting in remaining presbyteries is important, both as a means of faithful witness and for the sake of understanding the state of our divisions, the biblical standard of fidelity in marriage between a man and a woman and chastity in singleness will soon be removed as an explicit denominational standard for ordination and/or installation of church officers.  We deeply grieve this unfaithful action, for it brings great harm to the life and witness of the PC(USA). We have prayed that our denomination would uphold this biblical standard, and we have worked to maintain it.  But now a line has been crossed.      This revision of our Book of Order signals a massive change in our covenantal life and a departure from the beliefs and practice of the historic and global church.  We who are committed to holding fast the clear teaching of scripture must pray and work all the more to discern how to move forward with biblical faithfulness in and for a denomination that has lost its way.     First, we must affirm what has not changed: Jesus Christ is Lord-this has not changed and never will!  Remember Jesus' words, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The ultimate victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death has not been compromised!  No action taken by the PC(USA) can threaten our Lord's redemptive purpose. Scripture still clearly teaches that God intends the gift of sexual intimacy to be expressed within a lifelong covenant of marriage between a man and a woman.  No vote by the PC(USA) can change God's truth. Within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), other important realities have not changed:  Congregations and presbyteries have the right and the responsibility to examine and elect Deacons, Elders, and Ministers of the Word and Sacrament.  The new constitutional language, though lacking the clear expression of "fidelity/chastity," does not require us to violate our understanding of biblical standards.  Our Book of Order can be amended again.  We who oppose this decay in ordination standards are still free to work to restore the clarity that has been lost and even to raise the level of accountability. This is not a time for panic or for ill-considered actions that could potentially damage our mission and witness even more than the passage of Amendment 10-A.  Neither is it a time for pretending that we can continue to "do church" as we have before.  Instead, this is the time for: focused prayer on repentance for our own unfaithfulness and wisdom for the future; new covenanted fellowships within and perhaps beyond the PC(USA) based on closer theological agreement, which will support continued biblical faithfulness, and; sober assessments of the options we have for ministry with integrity. PFR pledges to continue our ministry of networking, resourcing, educating, and equipping biblically faithful, missional leaders within the PC(USA).  We have been here for you throughout the many struggles that have led to this point, we are here with you now-and wherever God may lead us.      So let us together lift up our hearts-it is not an accident or a disaster that brings us here.  God is at work!     A downloadable (PDF) version of this response is also available.      The Board of Directors of PFR     President: James Kim, Lakewood, WA Vice President: Mateen Elass, Edmond, OK Treasurer: Nancy Caudel, Greenville, SC  Executive Director: Paul Detterman, Louisville, KY     Nelson Bell, Dallas, TX Herb Codington, Clinton, SC Laura Crihfield, Baltimore, MD Henry Greene, Merced, CA Anne Hilborn, Charlotte, NC Keith Hill, Richmond, VA Ray Hylton, Evanston, IL Megan Handley Katurjian, Arcadia, CA Kelly Kenion, Oak Ridge, NC Julia Leeth, Lompoc, CA Tammy Letts, Anchorage, AK Nicole Lock, Snellville, GA Mike Loudon, Lakeland, FL Hector Reynoso, Mercedes, TX Sam Stare, Cincinnati, OH Andrew Stepp, Houston, TX Bill Teng, Alexandria, VA Gale Watkins, Phoenix, AZ Mobilizing leaders of congregations within the PC(USA) to be biblically faithful and missionally minded in their service to Jesus Christ     For information on the ministry that is PFR visit www.pfrenewal.org

This email was sent to by pfroffice@pfrenewal.org
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A Theology of Lament in Worship on Good Friday

As I have found myself repeating upon reflection through this Holy Week, the saying continually comes to mind that "you can't have Easter without Good Friday." In his piece for Reformed Worship "On Good Friday", Dr. John D. Witvliet writes of our liturgical need for lament in the spiritual life of those seeking to live out their faith in Christ.

 
 

Professor Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, states that, ideally, worship on Good Friday ought to "include [a number of] elements. We should narrate Jesus' death. We should sense the profundity of his passion. We should acknowledge the world-changing ramifications of the cross for the salvation of the world." He goes on to say that "lament is a key ingredient in worship that arises from honest, soul-searching faith." <http://www.reformedworship.org/magazine/article.cfm?article_id=620>

 
 

As some may imagine, I myself have recently experienced blessed occasions for receiving comfort and peace over the last year as the Lord has led me to find solace in the psalms of lament throughout the scriptures. There is a sense in my own journey of faith, especially of late, and indeed, a deepening experiential knowledge, of that which makes for a more holistic encounter of the holy.

 
 

Among all the reasons we might have for coming to worship, we come, I believe, in order to meet with God. I certainly do not come to be entertained, wined or dined. Nor do I attend or intend to be amused. When I come to church, I come with a sense of adventure, awe and expectation that the Awesome Lord God Almighty is coming, too, waiting to welcome and warmly embrace every one of us with such love, mercy, grace and generosity.

 
 

Our experience of the divine, while we attempt to live the Christian life as Jesus' disciples, is meant to encompass the whole of what it all means for us to follow the Holy One Who was and is both fully human and fully divine. Can you try along with me to grasp and get this in any way at all, beloved? It seems way too big, writ large, overwhelmingly huge for us in our humanity to wholly comprehend. It's a mystery. It is the mystery of life in faith. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. The sinless, holy God in Jesus Christ went through it all in order to identify with you and me. Huh?!? What was that? Come again? You're telling me… (as the Word tells us) that He Who was and is without sin, suffered, died and became sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God! Woe, hold on there, wait a second…. How much love can there be? So much for the whole world to see…

 
 

John Witvliet continues to write…

 
 

Fairly early in the medieval period, the Roman church was in a process of paring down the typical Sunday service. One of the places for trimming was the lengthy intercessory prayer (even then, the "long prayer" was perhaps too much for people's short attention spans). Yet several liturgists, probably quite conservative ones, stepped in to preserve that lengthy prayer for use on one day of the year—Good Friday. For centuries thereafter, Good Friday was the occasion for the longest and most intense prayer of the entire year.

The instincts of these liturgists have much to teach us. For part of what we celebrate on Good Friday (and the word "celebrate" is crucial) is that Christ has completely identified with us in suffering, even to death (Isa. 53:12; Heb. 4:14-16). On Good Friday we hear again Christ pray the lament of Psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me"? On Good Friday, we remember how wondrous it is to have a savior-intercessor who is able to sympathize with our weakness (Heb. 4:14-16; 5:7-9).

What better time than this to practice a spiritual discipline of lament? What better time than this to express solidarity with those who suffer, including Jesus himself? On Good Friday, we lament not to Jesus, but with Jesus.

 
 

Dearly beloved ones in the Lord, if Jesus did all this so that He could be identified to be with us, shouldn't we in return take Him up on His invitation and come join with Jesus in solemn intercessions before the throne of grace?

 
 

Lord, though we may like the disciples before us fall asleep in the garden of yours and our prayers, may you find us faithful in, to and for the end of your glory in praying for us all.

 
 

In solidarity with you, together in Christ, we pray

Amen.

Pastor Rex

on our understanding of God's election

According to Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, written by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s Office of Theology and Worship, "No one is saved apart from God's redemption in Jesus Christ. Yet we do not presume to limit the sovereign freedom of God . . . Thus, we can neither restrict the grace of Jesus Christ to those who profess explicit faith in Christ nor assume that all people are saved regardless of faith.
Grace, love and communion belong to God, and are not ours to determine." W. A. Visser't Hooft wrote, "I don't know whether a Hindu is saved: I only know that salvation comes in Jesus Christ."

 
 

This may be unsatisfying for those who wish to leave no question unanswered. Hans Küng and other Catholic theologians have criticized it as being irresponsibly neutral. It is, however, in harmony with the attitude of humility that Jesus commanded in discussions about the reach of salvation. Repeatedly, he cautioned against judging, that is, thinking that we know God's judgments. Jesus' parables and other statements about the last day are full of surprises and reversals. "Reformed theology has always taught that salvation is ultimately in God's hands, beyond the pale of human understanding." According to John Calvin, "We must leave to God alone the knowledge of his church, whose foundation is his secret election."

 
 

The admission that we do not know the limits to God's wondrous grace does not lessen the joyous responsibility of Christians to share the good news of Christ with others. To be a Christian is to be claimed by Christ, to know that we are loved by God, and to be called by God to a life of purposeful service. To withhold this knowledge is to be indifferent to the needs of others. As Christians we are entrusted with the biblical story of God's way in the world, and especially with the good news of Jesus. We must tell that good news to others — not because we do not respect them, but because we love them. Many non-Christians may be better, godlier persons than we are; but we are the ones who have been called to share the story. We are to share it humbly, without coercion, trusting the Holy Spirit to use it to touch the hearts of those [with] whom we speak.

 
 

Pasted from <http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/theologyandworship/issues-grace/>

What's next? - the next nexus in the navigational narrative

As we have traversed through wintry snows and icy storms, the intensely frigid cold of this winter's weather appears to have taken its toll upon our region. Even today it took some doing to drive over some still frozen patches of recently iced country roads and driveways in our area. By the time you read this, some warmer temperatures may very well have melted the ice on our streets, signaling the seasons' incipient passing from winter into spring. In the wake of Epiphany, the order of the day through ordinary time with the days' continued lengthening is for us to approach the Lenten season in faith.

 
 

What's next up for each of us in our journey together? As a people of faith in the One Who continues leading us onward and upward in Christ, what does the next season of mission and ministry hold for this gathering of believers in Jesus? To what and where might we find ourselves following our Lord anew for God's glory?

 
 

One exciting answer could be that God is yearning to expand our horizons and stretch our fellowship to welcome in more meaningful ways and with deepening relationships some among us who have been worshipping with us for some time now. It has been awhile since I/we have had the blessing, honor, pleasure and privilege to receive and recognize folks expressing interest as inquirers to explore joining with us in the ministry and mission we are called to undertake together in community.

 
 

As we find the early disciples in Scripture when first following Jesus, they took care to invite and come alongside others who would also then follow their Lord together with them. In the gospel of John (1:41-42), we see afterward that the first thing Andrew did was to tell Simon of the Messiah and then bring him to Jesus. Might our Lord be calling us to re-up with renewed intentionality our forth-telling and bringing of one another to Jesus Christ? What equipping and action will we experience and take toward the evangelization of each other in this fellowship?

 
 

I am sensing in these days a warming up to God's embrace of us as we face the future with hope and faith, love and joy in the Lord. The thawing out of the very sinews of our faith is taking place in order for us to exercise our religious muscles once again for the sake of God's kingdom. Something else needs to be put aside so that we may make room for the new thing our Lord is doing in our midst. As the saying goes during this time of year, "What will we give up for Lent?" What would Jesus have us do anew?

 
 

The blessing of renewing one's spiritual disciplines in preparation for the greater works God has prepared in advance for us to walk in is waiting for us to discover just around the corner. As a conference seminar and intensive workshops in emotional intelligence have emphasized for me recently, a growing and deepening self-awareness of where one is in the journey and in conversation with others can be key to discerning well with effective wisdom and insight to bear upon our success in navigating through life's challenges.

 
 

From a personal as well as corporate wilderness experience of exile, through times of unease and distress as individuals and a community of faith, into exuberant life as God's vibrant people, we are called anew to be the Lord's witnesses of God's grace in this place. And as is stated elsewhere by some leaders in a letter to Presbyterians:

 
 

"…it is in our places of brokenness that the work of Jesus Christ has always been most miraculous. …in the certain faith that this is Christ's Church, …we engage in the re-formation of this church into the church we are being called to be."

 
 

To God be the glory!

Pastor Rex

A Letter to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Subject	A Letter to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
From	A Fellowship of Presbyterian Pastors
Sent	Wednesday, February 02, 2011

 
 

A Letter to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

February 2, 2011      Brothers and Sisters in Christ,     To say the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is deathly ill is not editorializing but acknowledging reality.  Over the past year, a group of PC(USA) pastors has become convinced that to remain locked in unending controversy will only continue a slow demise, dishonor our calling, and offer a poor legacy to those we hope will follow us.  We recently met in Phoenix, and have grown in number and commitment.  We humbly share responsibility for the failure of our common life, and are no better as pastors nor more righteous than anyone on other sides of tough issues.      Our denomination has been in steady decline for 45 years, now literally half the size of a generation ago.  Most congregations see far more funerals than infant baptisms because we are an aging denomination.  Only 1,500 of our 5,439 smallest churches have an installed pastor, putting their future viability as congregations in doubt. Even many larger congregations, which grew well for decades, have hit a season of plateau or decline.  Our governing bodies reflect these trends, losing financial strength, staffing, and viability as presbyteries, synods, and national offices.     How we got to this place is less important than how to move forward.  We are determined to get past rancorous, draining internal disputes that paralyze our common life and ministry.  We believe the PC(USA) will not survive without drastic intervention, and stand ready to DO something different, to thrive as the Body of Christ.  We call others of like mind to envision a new future for congregations that share our Presbyterian, Reformed, Evangelical heritage.  If the denomination has the ability and will to move in this new direction, we will rejoice.  Regardless, a group of us will change course, forming a new way for our congregations to relate.  We hate the appearance of schism - but the PC(USA) is divided already.  Our proposal only acknowledges the fractured denomination we have become.     Homosexual ordination has been the flashpoint of controversy for the last 35 years.  Yet, that issue - with endless, contentious "yes" and "no" votes - masks deeper, more important divisions within the PC(USA).  Our divisions revolve around differing understandings of Scripture, authority, Christology, the extent of salvation amidst creeping universalism, and a broader set of moral issues. Outside of presbytery meetings, we mostly exist in separate worlds, with opposing sides reading different books and journals, attending different conferences, and supporting different causes.  There is no longer common understanding of what is meant by being "Reformed."  Indeed, many sense that the only unity we have left is contained in the property clause and the pension plan; some feel like withholding per capita is a club used against them, while others feel locked into institutional captivity by property.  While everyone wearies of battles over ordination, these battles divert us from a host of issues that affect the way our congregations fail to attract either young believers or those outside the faith.  Thus, we age, shrink, and become increasingly irrelevant.  Is it time to acknowledge that traditional denominations like the PC(USA) have served in their day but now must be radically transformed?      We need something new, characterized by: A clear, concise theological core to which we subscribe, within classic biblical, Reformed/Evangelical traditions, and a pledge to live according to those beliefs, regardless of cultural pressures to conform; A commitment to nurture leadership in local congregations, which we believe is a primary expression of the Kingdom of God.  We will identify, develop, and train a new generation of leaders - clergy and laity; A passion to share in the larger mission of the people of God around the world, especially among the least, the lost, and the left behind; A dream of multiplying healthy, missional communities throughout North America; A pattern of fellowship reflecting the realities of our scattered life and joint mission, with regular gatherings locally, regionally, and nationally to excite our ability to dream together. Our values include: A minimalist structure, replacing bureaucracy and most rules with relational networks of common purpose; Property and assets under stewardship of the local Session.  Dues/Gifts for common administration should only allow and enable continued affiliation among these congregations; Rather than large institutions, joint ventures with specialized ministries as congregations deem helpful [PC(USA) World Mission may be a source of joint support, aspects of the Board of Pensions, Presbyterian Foundation, Presbyterian Global Fellowship, Presbyterians for Renewal conferences, Outreach Foundation, etc.]; An atmosphere of support for congregations both within and outside of the PC(USA).  We invite like-minded pastors and elders to a gathering on August 25-27 in Minneapolis to explore joining this movement and help shape its character.  Our purpose is to LIVE INTO new patterns as they are created, modeling a way of faith: the worship, supportive fellowship, sharing of best practices, and accessible theology that brings unity and the Spirit's vitality.     OUR PROPOSAL:  A Fellowship: The most immediate change we intend is creating a new way of relating in common faith, a Fellowship (name to be determined). The primary purpose of this Fellowship will be the encouragement of local congregations to live out the Good News proclaimed by our Savior, increasing the impact of the Kingdom of Heaven.   This Fellowship will exist within current presbyteries for the time being, but energies and resources will flow in new directions.  It is an intermediate tool to bring together like-minded congregations and pastors, to enable us to build a future different than our fractured present.  New Synod/Presbyteries:  In the near future we will need "middle bodies" that offer freedom to express historical, biblical values amid ordination changes in the PC(USA).  More importantly, we long for presbytery-like bodies with theological and missional consensus rather than fundamental disagreement over so many core issues.  We need new processes that identify and support the next generation of leadership differently than the current model, which unintentionally weeds out the entrepreneurial persons we so desperately need in our congregations.  Many current functions should be removed; some, like curriculum and mission relationships, have become less centralized already.  We will work with the Middle Governing Bodies Commission since changes to The Book of Order will be needed to step fully into this reality.  Possible New Reformed Body:  Congregations and presbyteries that remain in a denomination that fundamentally changes will become an insurmountable problem for many.  Some members of the Fellowship will need an entity apart from the current PC(USA).  It is likely that a new body will need to be created, beyond the boundary of the current PC(USA), while remaining in correspondence with its congregations.  The wall between these partner Reformed bodies will be permeable, allowing congregations and pastors to be members in the Fellowship regardless of denominational affiliation.  All kinds of possibilities exist, and much will depend on how supportive the PC(USA) can be in allowing something new to flourish. Possible Reconfiguration of the PC(USA):  We intend to continue conversations within the PC(USA), and have met with both Louisville's leadership and that of the Covenant Network in the past few months.  We believe the denomination no longer provides a viable future and perceive that the Covenant Network also sees a broken system.  We hope to work together to see if some new alignment might serve the whole Church.  Any model that includes an entity outside the PC(USA) does mean fewer remaining congregations, pastors, and elders to fight the challenges of the current PC(USA).  Votes will swing in directions that had not been desirable before.  For many this outcome simply acknowledges that fighting is not the way we choose to proceed; our goal is not institutional survival but effective faithfulness as full participants in the worldwide Church.  We hope to discover and model what a new "Reformed body" looks like in the coming years, and we invite you to join us, stepping faithfully, boldly, and joyfully into the work for which God has called us.     We invite you to: download and share a PDF of this letter, download and share a PDF of the white paper "Time for Something New", visit our temporary webpage for more information, and email us at fellowshippcusa@gmail.com if you have questions and/or would like to be a signatory on this letter.      Steering Committee: Vic Pentz, Peachtree Presbyterian, Atlanta, GA John Crosby, Christ Presbyterian, Edina, MN                        David Peterson, Memorial Drive Presbyterian, Houston, TX Jim Singleton, First Presbyterian, Colorado Springs, CO      David Swanson, First Presbyterian, Orlando, FL Rich Kannwischer, St. Andrews, Newport Beach, CA           Mark Toone, Chapel Hill Presbyterian, Gig Harbor, WA Concurring Pastors:* G. Christopher Scruggs, Advent Presbyterian, Cordova, TN Mark Brewer, Bel Air Presbyterian, Los Angeles, CA Allan Poole, Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian, Durham, NC Rick Murray, Covenant Presbyterian, Austin, TX Tim Harrison, Crossroads Presbyterian, Mequon, WI Bob Burkins, Elmwood United Presbyterian, East Orange, NJ Doug Pratt, First Presbyterian, Bonita Springs, FL Mateen Elass, First Presbyterian, Edmond, OK Rich McDermott, First Presbyterian, Fort Collins, CO Richard Gibbons, First Presbyterian, Greenville, SC Dan Baumgartner, First Presbyterian, Hollywood, CA Jim Birchfield, First Presbyterian, Houston, TX Jim Davis, First Presbyterian, Kingwood, TX Jerry Andrews, First Presbyterian, San Diego, CA John Sowers, First Presbyterian, Spokane, WA Jim Miller, First Presbyterian, Tulsa, OK Jack Peebles, First Presbyterian, Yakima, WA Don Baird, Fremont Presbyterian, Sacramento, CA Doug Ferguson, Grace Presbyterian, Houston, TX Bill Teng, Heritage Presbyterian, Alexandria, VA Ronald W. Scates, Highland Park Presbyterian, Dallas, TX  David Lenz, Hope Presbyterian, Richfield, MN Paul A. Cunningham, La Jolla Presbyterian, La Jolla, CA Bob Sanders, Lake Grove Presbyterian, Lake Oswego, OR Kevin Pound, Mandarin Presbyterian Church, Jacksonville, FL   John Ortberg, Menlo Park Presbyterian, Menlo Park, CA Jeff Ebert, Presbyterian Church at New Providence, New Providence, NJ Douglas Garrard, Palm Desert Community Presbyterian, Palm Desert, CA Paul Detterman, Presbyterians for Renewal, Louisville, KY Mike McClenahan, Solana Beach Presbyterian, Solana Beach, CA Steve Hartman, Third Presbyterian, Richmond, VA David Joynt, Presbyterian Church of Toms River, Toms River, NJ Douglas J. Rumford, Trinity United Presbyterian, Santa Ana, CA Patrick H. Wrisley, University Place Presbyterian, University Place, WA George Hinman (Senior Pastor) and Tim Snow (Executive Pastor), University Presbyterian, Seattle, WA Peter Barnes, Westlake Hills Presbyterian, Austin, TX Baron Eliason, Westminster Presbyterian, Lubbock, TX     *Signatories represent themselves, not necessarily the Session or congregation of their respective churches.

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