Overture 52

On Adding New Section G-11.0404g Regarding New Immigrant Ministers—From the Presbytery of North Central Iowa.

The Presbytery of North Central Iowa overtures the 217th General Assembly (2006) to direct the Stated Clerk to send the following proposed amendment to the presbyteries for their affirmative or negative votes:

Shall G-11.0404 be amended by adding a new section G-11.0404g:

“In the case of immigrant ministries, presbyteries shall have broad latitude to recognize the ordination of ministers coming from developing countries with different practices of ordination and to recognize the ‘good standing’ of such ministers when it is attested to by members of their own communion or by members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The presbytery may, by three-fourths vote of those present, enroll such a minister as a member of the presbytery."

In its Racial Ethnic/Immigrant Evangelism Church Growth Report, approved by the 210th General Assembly (1998), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) affirmed its commitment to the building of new immigrant ministries. It recognized that one of the challenges facing such ministries is identifying, training, and credentialing the leadership of these emerging groups. Specifically, it recognized that “presbyteries will have to take innovative approaches to recognize the ordination of clergy from other traditions, train commissioned lay pastors, and use the office of evangelist for these emerging fellowships.”

In 1999, the General Assembly approved a new paragraph G-11.0404b (now G-11.0404f) to allow presbytery reception of a new immigrant minister who lacks the educational history required in G-14.0310b-d.

In 2004, the General Assembly added a new section G-9.0503a(2)(a) to allow presbyteries the right to grant an immigrant fellowship voice and vote in the meetings of presbytery. It also added G-9.0503a(2)(b) to allow presbyteries the right to ordain as elders “the chosen lay leadership of the immigrant fellowship” when they are equivalent to elders and session. Presbyteries are instructed to write their own criteria for making such determinations.

The Presbytery of North Central Iowa supports the General Assembly’s strategy for developing immigrant fellowships/congregations. The state of Iowa presents a rich field for the development of such mission congregations because of the influx of immigrants into both urban and rural areas of the state to find work.

Two congregations of the Presbytery of North Central Iowa and the Synod of Lakes and Prairies have been partners in outreach and Bible fellowship development to the Hispanic community in Fort Dodge and Clarion, Iowa, for more than two years.

The presbytery gratefully acknowledges the General Assembly’s commitment to innovation. However, this presbytery’s recent experience in dealing with faith communions in developing countries demonstrates that barriers to the effective use of immigrant leaders continue to exist, including different education requirements, inability to send and receive transcripts, differing practices of ordination, communication between faith communions, and the inability or unwillingness of faith communions in developing countries to cooperate with PC(USA) governing bodies in meeting the requirements of the Book of Order.