GA08123

Worship Committee hopes future committees can learn from its experience

by Sandy Sweep

The Assembly joined together in prayer. Photo by Joseph Williams

SAN JOSE, June 26, 2008 — Although wrought with uncertainty of purpose and process during its committee meetings, the Assembly Committee for Worship and Spiritual Renewal received approval late Thursday (June 26) during the plenary session of the 218th General Assembly (2008) on both overtures recommended by the committee.

Items 16-01, On Reaffirming Our Common Faith in Jesus Christ, and 16-02, A Call to Seek God for Spiritual Renewal of the Church, passed with an undisputed voice vote.

Item 16-01 made the request that affirmation of “our common faith in Jesus Christ” be considered prior to Assembly votes. Item 16-02 addressed the need for congregations to gather together at times for spiritual renewal through intentional gatherings such as spiritual Assemblies.

Following the vote, committee moderator the Rev. Kathy Lancaster offered an evaluation of the experience: Although they were a committee formed to do “generative thinking” for using alternative forms of decision-making, and that difficulties arose when transitioning from small group discussion to “committee of the whole” and to parliamentary procedure and back, periods of silent prayer and group worship helped them move through the process.

Lancaster compared the committee’s experiences to the machine lubricant WD-40 — “I heard that the ‘40’ in that name came from trying 40 times to get the formula right. I hope that future committees don’t have to try 40 times (using the discernment process) and can learn from our experiences.”