News Archive

Contact person: Gary Demarest at (626) 914-4833, or Jenny Stoner at (802) 586-6913

Press Release

June 12, 2003

The Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church was much on the minds of commissioners to the recent 215th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Denver. Two significant overtures dealt with the work of the task force, and many attendees previewed video resources designed to share some of the task force’s work with the church.

The assembly action relating to the task force that received the most attention was a vote to allow the group to meet in closed sessions for a portion of their time together. In response to an overture from San Gabriel Presbytery, the assembly voted to allow the task force “to go into closed session solely for the purpose of exchanging views on sensitive theological issues . . . by two-thirds vote of the members of the task force present in a duly called and constituted meeting.”

Co-moderators of the task force, Jenny Stoner and Gary Demarest, have expressed their intentions of using the privilege judiciously, indicating that the task force neither sought nor initiated the overture that led to this action of the assembly.

When asked by the assembly committee to comment upon the proposal, Demarest made it clear that the task force would continue to serve the General Assembly under any and all mandates given to it. He went on to assure the committee that if the overture passed, “we will accept this action as an expression of trust in the members of the task force and will work diligently to honor that trust.”

The second action relating to the task force was the response of the assembly to an overture from the Presbytery of Des Moines pertaining to ordination standards. The commissioners responded to the overture with the comment, “Since the issues raised in this overture are already before the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity, the 215th General Assembly calls for the entire church to pray for the Theological Task Force during this time of discernment.”

After the assembly, the co-moderators expressed gratitude for the prayerful support for the task force. “Each member of this task force is deeply committed to working with the entire church in mutual prayer, trust, and hope that the Holy Spirit may lead us into peace, unity, and purity as we seek to be God’s faithful people in the 21st century.”

During the assembly, task force members conducted two gatherings for attendees to preview the group’s initial video resource, still in the development process. The video shares some of both the process and theological substance used in the work of the task force. Specifically, the segments of the video are designed to help groups discern God’s will in the midst of conflicts and to explore Presbyterian use and understanding of scripture. Participants in both gatherings welcomed the video enthusiastically, indicating they found the material helpful. Designed for use by groups in presbyteries, synods, and congregations, the video and accompanying leader guide are scheduled for release in September.

The task force, mandated by the 213th General Assembly, will meet next in Chicago, August 6-8, 2003. The focus of the meeting will be the nature and purpose of the church in the Reformed tradition as a community of faith, and Presbyterian decision-making.