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COVENANT NETWORK CONFERENCE 2003
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| New York Avenue Church is an historic building located in the center of Washington D.C. Its extraordinarily tall pulpit in the front center of the Sanctuary undeniably proclaims the centrality of the Word in Reformed Worship and the Word read and the Word proclaimed was at the center of the 2003 Covenant Network Conference held for 2 and a half days in early November. The Conference started on an unseasonably warm and muggy Thursday afternoon. Those who arrived early enjoyed opportunities to tour the historic premise, meet with their congressional representative, or network with other young adults and seminarians students. In one room, an early handwritten draft of Lincoln’s proclamation to free the slaves was on display, reminding those who passed by that the call for justice is present with all generations. The conference formally began with welcoming remarks and twelve different workshops scattered around the building. Long time friends found each other as conference participants climbed up and down two narrow staircases connecting education rooms, dining halls and sanctuary. Chris Glaser spoke on Reformation of the Heart: The Spiritual Issues at Stake in Welcoming Diversity (of all kinds); Joan Kelly Merritt, Barbara Wheeler, and John Wilkinson of the Theological Task Force updated a packed room; and Peg Gotthold led a discussion on Finding Common Ground Across Differences: Techniques that Work. With over 600 people in attendance, dinner was served in three different
locations including another church down the street. We sat at round tables,
and we served each other in family style, passing plates from one to another.
Our food was prepared by Fresh Start Catering, an employment
project of DC Central Kitchen, which among other things, trains homeless
and welfare recipient men and women for employment in the food service
industry. |
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After dinner long-time witness and advocate for gay and lesbian inclusion Chris Glaser preached a challenging and honest sermon at our Thursday evening worship service. Glaser reminded us that the time we discern for change and restoration isn’t necessarily God’s time. The next morning, the conference resumed in the Sanctuary for worship and to hear the Word read and preached, this time by Ken Kovacs of the Catonsville Presbyterian Church in Catonsville, Maryland. Kovacs reminded us that the Holy Spirit moves and calls according to her own agenda and not ours, and that agenda appears to favor loving reconciliation over rigid judgment. At 10 am, Richard Mouw and Barbara Wheeler came before the assembly and spoke to each other and to us not only in search for common ground, but also in search for the understanding of un-common ground. Richard Mouw is the President of Fuller Theological Seminary. Barbara Wheeler is the President of Auburn Theological Seminary. Mouw supports the current ordination standard; Wheeler advocates for the full inclusion of all gay and lesbian persons. It was a powerful and grace filled moment in our conference. For our noon meal, we sat down with others from our home Presbyteries and Synods. In addition to comparing notes, we also considered how we might can work together to help prepare the church to receive the work of the Theological Task Force. On Friday afternoon Bruce Reyes-Chow delivered a dynamic and multi-media presentation on the challenges facing young adults today and how congregations can expand and enrich their ministry for all when reaching out to this particular generation. A second round of workshops followed with Task Force Members Vicky Curtiss, Frances Taylor Gench, Jack Haberer and John Wilkinson speaking to another packed room; Alice Ogden Bellis focusing on Difficult texts: How Bible-believing Presbyterians can be open to change on homosexuality; and Jack Rogers presenting on People of Three Books: How Presbyterians are guided by the Bible, the Confessions, and the Book of Order. Late in the afternoon, we convened again in the sanctuary to hear from Susan Andrews, the Moderator of the 215th General Assembly and to participate in a Town Hall meeting with the co-moderators of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, Joanna Adams and Eugene Bay. It was a good conversation. Difficult questions were asked openly and honestly as we discussed multiple strategies on how to advance our common goal of full inclusion of gay and lesbian persons in the PC(USA). In the evening, we gathered for worship and communion. Jana Childers preached on the desire for reconciliation that can be found in 1 John, and connected this to the PC(USA) today. Worship included an anthem written in celebration of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church celebrating their Bicentennial year, Peace in Our World. We came forward in four lines for communion by intinction in common cup. There were so many of us that night that it was a while before all came to table. We were joined in the reconciling meal of the bread broken and wine poured by several of our dialogue partners, among them representatives of Presbyterians for Renewal and The Laymen. Jim Berkly of PFR recorded his experience at this conference. Given our theme, I suggest reading his interpretations of our conference. The evening concluded with a vibrant gathering of Young Adults and friends in a nearby restaurant. On Saturday, the weather cooled enough that warm coats were once again in order. The sky had cleared to a bright, crystal clear blue and we started with Taize worship led by Tara Spuhler. Patrick Henry ascended to the pulpit for the morning keynote address and held the room completely spellbound and silent. His remarks were received with a standing ovation and his workshop that followed had standing room only. Other well attended workshops included Not Whether But When: Discerning the Signs of the Times with Chris Glaser and Doug Nave; a presentation of the Theological Task Force Video; and Conflicts in the Presbyterian Church – How Presbyterians have historically resolved Difference led by Ellen Babinksy. At 11:45 we returned to the sanctuary one last time for closing worship with J. Barrie Shepherd preaching and the Washington Gay Mens Chorus offering two moving anthems. Shepherd sent us on our way by asking, “Are we called primarily to perceive and root out evil, or to discern and celebrate beauty?” “This is one of the places where I am fed in this church,” a seminarian said to me as she walked toward the door. “It keeps me going.” Down the hallway behind her was that handwritten draft in the Lincoln room, reminding all who passed by that justice has always been and still remains God’s concern.
In addition to the printed text on this site, audio tapes of keynote and plenary presentations and sermons are available. The 2004 Covenant Network Conference will be in Chicago Illinois on November 4-6 at Fourth Presbyterian church. The topic will be, Speaking of Sex: Exploring the Theology and Expression of Human Sexuality |