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The Covenant Network, in solidarity with other organizations and many individual
Presbyterians, is working for the full inclusion of gay and lesbian Presbyterians
in the life and leadership of the Presbyterian Church (USA). To this end, G-6.0106b,
which has introduced injustice into the church's Constitution and division and
hostility into its life, must be repealed. The good of the church and the truth
of the Gospel are at stake.
The church faces major decisions in the next several years. In 2006, the 217th
General Assembly will receive the report of the Theological Task Force on the
Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, drafts of which will be released in the
year before. The Task Force has been asked to propose ways for the church to
move into the future in the face of deep differences about sexuality, ordination
and other issues. We eagerly anticipate the Task Force's findings and hope that
they will pave the way toward the just, generous, holy and peaceful church for
which we and so many others have been working.
Neither the Task Force nor any other group can hope to change the church unless
Presbyterians on all sides of the issues areready for change. The church must
prepare to receive the report and to make major decisions about its policies
and its life together. Study, prayer, dialogue and especially listening, to
the Holy Spirit and to each other, are essential parts of this preparation.
Therefore, we will pour our energies and our organization's resources into
preparing for change. We hope that this process contributes to a successful
amendment to delete G-6.0106b in 2006 at the 217th General Assembly and in the
presbyteries in the year following. We recognize that the timing of change in
the Church belongs to God; we commit ourselves to work with others in discerning
the movement of the Spirit.
To assist the church to prepare for change, the Covenant Network in 2003 and
2004 will
- Support overtures to make clear that the arbitrary, contradictory, and obsolete
"Authoritative Interpretations" that pre-date G-6.0106b are no longer
binding
- Continue to offer legal counsel and defense to officers and sessions attacked
under G-6.0106b
- Contribute to church-wide dialogue by offering major theological conferences
on "The Church We Are Called to Be and Become" in 2003, on sexual
ethics in 2004, on Christian discipleship in 2005, and on the meaning of ordination
in 2006
- Prepare and distribute new resources for informing discussion in presbyteries,
including new videos, books of stories and testimony, and enhanced electronic
resources
- Strengthen networks for dialogue, support, and change in presbyteries across
the country