Today, I was marshal at the Faith and Order Legislative Committee. It is at these committees that the real work of conference, perfecting petitions to change the Discipline or to be included in the Book of Resolutions begins. And it happens as those delegates who are assigned to particular legislative areas as committees divide and sub-divide to share the work of looking at EVERY SINGLE PETITION and its relevance. Not every petition will become part of the life of the church in these two books, but every one will be considered.
On piece that Faith and Order is working on (shared with me by Jorge Lockwood) is the understanding of what Inclusiveness, as defined in para. 138 of 2004 Discipline. Petitions are being looked at that seek to redefine how we describe inclusiveness.
It is prayerful, hard, sometimes even painful work. To be a delegate is to be first inundated by all you must read the advance Daily Christian Advocates, (meaning really thick books), and second to be inundated by all the additional material from those interested in a particular position being advanced. I am impressed with the faithfulness and the enthusiasm of our delegates and their care for each other.
Our Marshal and Page Community is growing as we reach out and share our worlds with each other. At least ten Marshals and Pages know where the Wyoming Conference is now! Dave Masland is having the same joy within his work on Faith and Order. Yes, we are from Wyoming Conference, on the Susquehanna River, in NY and PA, and the name went West from here!
Please pray fro me tomorrow. I am serving as Marshal at the main Delegate door and then in the Church and Society 2 Legislative Committee, and yes, this is the committee that is handling most of the hot-button legislation in the Social Principles.
I'll let you know about that tomorrow........
Grace and Peace,
Bob
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