February 24, 2010
Laurie Kraus, Pastor
Riviera Presbyterian Church
5275 Sunset Drive
Miami, FL 33143
Dear Laurie,
We had some very exciting news over the weekend, and I want to share it with you and the Riviera session and congregation.
On Saturday, the Presbytery of John Knox (at the intersection of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) voted 81-25 to approve the ordination of Scott Anderson to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. Scott is a gifted pastor, preacher, and leader; and he and his partner Ian have been together 19 years.
The John Knox presbyters made this decision using the authority affirmed by the 2006 General Assembly and reaffirmed by the 2008 G.A. – permitting presbyteries to consider a ministerial candidate’s declared “scruple” about one particular point of faith or polity in the context of everything else they know about the candidate’s life, faith, gifts, and fitness for the call. In Scott’s case, they decided that his refusal to follow the common understanding of G-6.0106b did not constitute “a failure to adhere to essentials of Reformed faith and polity.”
You can read about the presbytery meeting and its decision on our newly redesigned website, which I commend to your attention: www.covnetpres.org. (And please let us know what you think!)
Scott’s gifts for pastoral ministry were clear to an overwhelming majority in John Knox Presbytery. They considered his life, his service to the church, his faith statement, and his Affirmation of Conscience, enclosed here.
As you know, San Francisco Presbytery reached a similar determination in November when it voted to ordain Lisa Larges, a greatly gifted, “out” lesbian who has been under care for 23 years. As in Scott’s case, the presbytery considered her life, gifts, service in the church, and faith statement, as well as her Statement of Departure, in deciding to approve her ordination. (Her Statement of Departure is also available on our new website.)
Both presbyteries were able to proceed with these examinations because of a GAPJC decision in November 2009. Covenant Network director Doug Nave won that case; and he is also defending the challenges to both San Francisco and John Knox Presbyteries’ ordination decisions.
The process and legal reasoning both presbyteries used to examine and decide to ordain a candidate “with a departure” have also been followed in several other cases of minister ordinations or transfers (not as high-profile as Scott’s or Lisa’s, and most not challenged in church courts). They can also be used by sessions. These principles are laid out and explained in our booklet Guidelines for Examination of Church Officers. If you’d like a copy, please call or e-mail our office. Or you can order multiple copies for $3 each.
All our work of equipping, advocating, educating, and connecting for change depends on the support of congregations like Riviera. As we look ahead to another very important General Assembly, I am grateful indeed for your financial support as well as your critical local leadership.
We still have a long way to go to the just and generous church for which we long; but I want to celebrate with you this important step along the way. Thank you for your partnership in bringing closer the church we envision!
Faithfully yours,
Pamela Byers
Executive Director
Covenant Network
encl.