And mine did shake this morning.
This overture, which had been tabled for a year, was defeated at Presbytery today. This was no thanks to me, as I kept having moments of aphasia while I was at the mic speaking and couldn't remember the word "overture." This happens to me a lot when I attempt to speak at Presbytery- rambling, forgetting the main point I wanted to make, etc....but I still find myself speaking at just about every meeting. And honestly, sometimes it's just because I can't stand it if no one under 50 has spoken, so I'll speak just so a young(er) voice is heard.
The debate could have been uglier than it was, but it was more heated than I would have liked. There were some very uncomfortable moments when they were trying to count votes- first by voice, then by showing of hands..... then, they asked us to stand to register our vote and there we were literally standing against one another. There was still confusion, so thankfully, ballots were handed out. It was interesting, by my estimation on the standing vote, the overture would have passed by, I'd say, 4 or 5 votes. Yet, when we voted by ballot, it was defeated by about 12. Some stormed out of the sanctuary after the result was announced.
While personally I am so glad that it didn't pass, I am also feeling grief over where we find ourselves as a Presbytery-not to mention our denomination. This skirmish is behind us, but we'll just very likely regroup for the next battle. How long can we keep this up? Really?
Someone made the comment on the floor of Presbytery that we are like a gallon of the Blue Bell Ice Cream flavor, The Great Divide, which has chocolate on one side and vanilla on the other. I only wish our division was as sweet! (mmmmmmmm.........Blue Bell........)
Oh, the former pastor of the church I am now serving sent a message to me via another pastor. The message was, "Do you know what the f(ireplace) you're getting into?" I just nodded and smiled, because what can I say to that?
I went home early because I began to feel pretty bad and a couple of people told me I looked "yellow." I never noticed that, but I was sure beat. I'll sleep well tonight.
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12 comments:
while i couldn't get the link to follow and i know nothing of the structure or politics of your denomination.
WAY TO GO! i can't even imagine speaking up at our annual conference (they sound similiar to your pres. process)i certainly admire your strength and and bravery to stand up and speak out--especially considering that you're still recovering!
Hooray! Way to go! Yeah Iris!
Thanks, Hipchick. The link is fixed- it's just a link to an earler post of mine.
Our Presbytery is pretty small- I'm sure nowhere near the size of your annual conference. I'm not sure I'd have that kind of nerve!
You take care, Iris -- keep warm, keep well...I chased the "this" back to a previous post, last night, and got the general drift of what presbytery was on about. Good on you for speaking up.
Hooray for speaking up! There are so many times that I want to speak up and don't, because I just don't think well on my feet and I worry that I'm not going to be articulate or eloquent or even comprehensible. I guess God doesn't care so much, just so long as we speak!
As the new moderator of the CPM, I'll be on a task force to discuss these same things. I wonder if I know what I'm getting into!
Hope you are feeling better soon!
Iris, I hope you're feeling better. Thank you for adding your voice to the conversation. I too am glad the overture was defeated. I too regret the 49-51 divide that many churches seem to find themselves in.
Pax, C.
Keep speaking your mind at presbytery. I want to hear the young voices say what they are thinking about and dreaming of.
Hope you feel better and get rested.
Hi, Iris. How are you today? Haven't heard from you in a few days...all ok with your health?
yes, congrats on having the courage to speak. it is no small thing.
we had a similar overture at last month's meeting. Those of us in the under-50 crowd learned a little more about polity and submitted a substitute motion in order to keep the debate in perspective. It worked--both failed and we continue in the status quo...which will have to do, for now.
But I did NOT have the nerve to speak up, either on this or another issue about which I wanted to speak. We had a representative from our group do the talking, and it was not me. You're awesome!
((((((Iris))))))))
Are you okay?
I'm with Wyld, wondering if all is well. Your friends are thinking about you.
Mags
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