Proposed Amendments
The General Assembly:
G-13.0100
G.13.0100 The
General Assembly is the highest
governing body of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.). The General
Assembly's
jurisdiction is limited.
Jurisdiction
over Ordination,
Statements of Faith, Marriage Standards
Educational Materials used, church planting,
and
evangelism methods, are permanently
delegated
to the two Primary
Synods (Auburn and Westminster).
The General Assembly is the
representative of the unity of
the Primary Synods (Westminster
and
Auburn), their respective
Sub-Synods, their respective
Presbyteries, sessions, and
congregations of the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.).
G-13.0102 a. (Unchanged)
Membership
b.
(Unchanged)
c.
(Unchanged)
G.13-0103 The General Assembly constitutes
Responsibilities the bond of union, community, and
mission among all its congregations
and governing bodies. However,
the General Assembly is a
governing body of limited
jurisdiction. Jurisdiction
over
ordination standards, Statements
of
Faith, Marriage Standards,
Educational Materials used,
church
planting, church growth,
and evangelism methods,
are permanently delegated to
the
two Primary Synods (Auburn
and Westminster). The General
Assembly
has responsibility
and power over the following:
a. to set priorities for the work
of the church in keeping with
the church's mission under
Christ, other than the areas
of jurisdiction permanently
delegated to the Primary
Synods (Auburn and
Westminster) as stated
in section
G-13-0103 of
these
Proposed Amendments.
b. to develop overall objectives
for mission and a
comprehensive strategy to
guide the church, other than
those
areas of jurisdiction
permanently
delegated to
the Primary Synods
(Westminster and Auburn).
c. to provide an example of
appropriate balance
and,
and racial diversity within the mission
of
the church.
d to establish and administer
national and worldwide
ministries of witness, service,
growth, and development, in
conjunction with the two
Primary Synods (Westminster
and Auburn).
e. to provide a system of
administrative services
to
fulfill its objectives
and programs.
f. to provide certain services
for
the whole church,
(pensions, and health plans)
that
can be performed more
effectively from a national
base.
g. to establish and maintain
an office of General Assembly
h. to establish and superintend
agencies and task forces
necessary
for its work, including
a General Assembly Council,
providing for regular review of the
financial relationship between
the General Assembly's structure
and its mission.
i.
to adopt a comprehensive budget
of the General Assembly providing
full information to the whole church
of its decision in such matters.
j. to provide for communication
within the church.
k. to provide support to
the Primary Synods (Auburn
and Westminster) when
appropriate.
l.
To set financial accounting
standards and recordkeeping
standards
to be followed by
all
governing bodies in the
church.
m.
To participate, as a member
of the Joint Committee on
Presbytery Boundary and
Presbytery Region Boundary
drawing, along with the
co-equal co-members,
the two Primary Synods
(Auburn and Westminster)
with each body having one vote;
one vote for the General Assembly,
one
vote for the Auburn Primary
Synod and one vote for the
Westminster Primary Synod.
After each congregation
has voted, in the 140 day
period stated in the
Proposed
Amendments
Section G-10.0102(t), to align with
either
the Auburn or Westminster
Primary Synod, (by a 60%
vote
of each congregation
and
their session), the congregations,
shall
be assembled into Presbyteries
specific
to their Primary Synod,
which
they have voted to
align
themselves with,
(either the Auburn or
Westminster
Primary Synod).
The initial Presbytery
Boundaries
shall
use the original Presbytery
boundaries, from 2006.
Original
Presbytery
boundaries will continue
to be used until the
first meeting of
the two Primary
Synods' (Auburn
and Westminster)
General
Sessions'.
At the first General
Session of each Primary
Synod, their respective
Primary Synod General
Council shall appoint
seven,
(7) members to
their
Joint Presbytery
boundary and
Presbytery Region Boundary
Drawing Committee,
to
represent their
Primary Synod
(Auburn or Westminster).
Each
Primary Synod's
Joint Presbytery and
Presbytery Region boundary
drawing committee members,
along with the General Assembly's
Joint Presbytery and
Presbyterty Region boundary
drawing committee, must
endorse
or modify the
final Presbytery boundaries
submitted by each Primary
Synod, for their Presbyteries
The
committee
members must also
form and approve Presbytery
Region boundaries. Each Presbytery
aligned with one of the Primary Synods
(Auburn and Westminster) must
contain at least 27
congregations.
Some of the
Presbyteries will be merged,
in
order to meet that thresh-hold.
The
drawing of the final
Presbytery
Region
boundaries must
be
finished
prior to the second
meeting
of each
Primary Synod's
(Auburn and
Westminster)
General Synod
Session.
The
larger geographic
Presbytery of
the
Two Primary
Synods in a region, (Auburn
or Westminster) shall
constitute
a Presbytery
Region with that Presbytery
and all Presbyteries
of the other Primary
Synod (Westminster
or
Auburn) within those
boundaries, will create
a Presbytery Region.
Each
Primary Synod and
the General Assembly shall
appoint 7 committee members,
each.
Each entity shall have
one vote, (e.g one vote for
the Westminster Primary
Synod, one vote for the
Auburn Primary Synod
and one vote for the General
Assembly). Approval
of the final Presbytery
boundaries for each
of the Primary Synods'
(Auburn and Westminster)
and Presbytery
Region boundaries
shall require an
affirmative vote by
all
three entities,
based upon a
majority vote from
each of the entity's
7
committee members.
n. to assist in the establishment
of the Sub-Synods of each
of the two Primary Synods
(Westminster and Auburn),
establishing
the boundary
lines set forth in
section
G-12.0113 of these
Proposed
Amendments,
which
shall be used to establish
the two (2) Sub-Synods in
each geographic region, one
for the Westminster
Primary Synod and one
for the Auburn Primary
Synod.
o. to provide for a General
Assembly Arbitration
Board, to rule on issues
in cases brought before
the General Assembly
Arbitration
Board,
except that the
General
Assembly
Arbitration Board
shall have no
jurisdiction
over
cases
with issues
involving ordination standards,
statements of faith,
marriage standards,
educational materials
used, church planting, and
evangelism methods.
The
jurisdiction over the
aforementioned cases
is
permanently
delegated to the two
Permanent Judical
Commissions of the
two
Primary Synods
the
Auburn Primary Synod
and the Westminster Primary
Synod. The rulings of
the Permanent
Judicial Commissions
of the two Primary Synods,
(the
Westminster Primary
Synod,
and the Auburn
Primary Synod),
are not intended
to be consistent
with
each other,
when addressing the
aforementioned issues.
p. to warn or bear witness
against error in doctrine
or
immorality in practice
in or outside the church
q. to decide controversies
brought before it and to
give advice and instructions
in issues submitted to it,
in conformity with the
Constitution, but only to the
extent that such advice and
instruction does not
address
the following issues:
Ordination
Standards,
Statements
of Faith,
Educational Materials
Used, Marriage
Standards, Church
planting and growth,
and evangelism methods
used. The aforementioned
issues are permanently
delegated
to the
two Primary Synods
(Westminster and
Auburn), and their
respective
Permanent
Judicial Commissions.
r. To provide authoritative
interpretation of the
Book of Order, but
only to the extent
such interpretation
does not address the
following
areas and
issues:
Ordination
Standards, Statements
of Faith, Educational
Materials used, Marriage
Standards, Church
growth, Church
planting, and evangelism
methods used, which are
permanently delegated
to the two Primary Synods
(Westminster and
Auburn) to determine
these standards, issues,
and areas, as determined
by the findings and theological
conclusions of each Primary
Synod
without regard to
the other Primary Synod.
s. to establish and maintain
those ecumenical
relationships that will
enlarge the life and
mission of the curch.
