PCUSA Easily Rejects Non-Geographic Presbyteries

(Credit: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Graphic)A map of Synods and Presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). As of 2012, the PC(USA) had over 11,000 congregations organized into 173 presbyteries (district governing bodies) and 16 synods (regional governing bodies.)

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Thursday handily rejected an overture that would have allowed for the creation of non-geographic presbyteries "for particular missional purposes."

The proposal was defeated by the assembly, which is meeting in Pittsburgh, by a vote of 480-169.

The purpose of the plan had been to "bring a genuine plan for transformation, a radical reordering because the world is changing rapidly and our structures are not," said Rev. Tod Bolsinger of Los Ranchos Presbytery, the chair of the GA Commission on Mid Councils that brought the recommendation, according to a report by the Assembly's Communications Center.

'[W]hat constitutes 'particular missional purposes' was never explained clearly," said the Rev. Bill Hennessy of Western New York Presbytery, an opponent of the measure. "I believe the purpose is theological affinity which would undermine unity and reconciliation."

Another opponent, the Rev. Joann Lee of the Presbyery of Twin Cities Area grew up in non-geographic Korean-language presbytery and said the experience was not positive.

"Understanding the whole church is limited by non-geographic presbyteries and is a disservice to geographic presbyteries," she said.

"We overlook the root causes of our divisions by separating ourselves from one another. We should not be running away from our differences – creating non-geographic presbyteries simply avoids the problems."

The assembly, however, authorized the creation of a task force to study the role and function of synods.

The PC(USA) is divided into four main church units, from smallest to largest: Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, and the General Assembly.

The task force would be composed of an equal number of participants from the Mid Council Commission, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly and commissioners to the General Assembly" and would be asked to bring recommendations to the 2014 General Assembly that "consider the composition and organization of the mid councils in ways that reinvigorate their capacity to support missional congregations, and advance the ecclesial nature and character of those presbyteries, with the unity of the church."

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