What I will try to do in this daily blog is give you some of my reflections.
Bruce Reyes-Chow is a young, smart, articulate, energetic, technologically savvy, and successful new church development pastor. He is boldly progressive in his stand, yet "excruciatingly fair" in moderating and engaging others in discussions. Two years ago Joan Gray won the election because she hedged on the big question of ordaining gays and lesbians, saying she did not know and had not come to a determination, because the church had not. It the time I thought that was disingenuous. She made a wonderful moderator and was just what the church needed. Yesterday the assembly elected Bruce who I believe reflects the church, one who has made up its mind and is excruciatingly fair to those who disagree, and who is called to build bridges and love others who disagree in spite of the differences. Bruce came within 2 1/2% from winning on the first round, with the YADs and Theological Students voting overwhelmingly for him. He easily won on the second round of voting. What moved me the most was his installation prayer given by his mother and 11 year old daughter. That was special. Bruce is God's gift to the church.
We worship today, then committees will begin meeting with orientation and team building. Many committees will be using a discernment process. PCBIZ has a resource paper on discernment offers new ways for coming to decisions than many of us are accustom. I expect that this will be part of the orientation.
Finally some closing comments on why do we do all of this. Most church members in the pews that I know dislike the political nature of the church and try to avoid controversial issues at all costs. Many in our culture claim to be spiritual but not religious for this very reason. They feel close to God but not to the church or others who challenge their set beliefs. I believe that undercuts the very nature of the meaning of spirituality, which I understand to have the base meaning of being in relationship with another. The Bible teaches us to love God and neighbor. Jesus pressed it to love our enemies. The practice of coming together, assembling, congregating, is the root meaning of the Greek word for church, ecclesia. Many congregations are pretty homogeneous. People tend to seek out like minded persons with whom to worship and serve. Elders who serve on Sessions and are commissioners to the larger church assemblies are exposed to the lives and hearts and passions of people from a broader world. I believe that this engagement with one another is a laboratory for living in covenant with one another. Encountering others who are different, and who bring a different life perspective to the table is never easy, but when it is done with mutual openness, respect, and love, even when we do not agree, and yet are still bound together in God's covenant and beloved community, is a spiritual experience. That is special. It is a spiritual discipline, a spiritual encounter of meeting Jesus in the other.
Grace and Peace
John Best
