In every organization, even one that is grievously ill, good remains.
Do you know there is a move afoot to change our form of government? You can go to the links below on the proposed "new" form of government and see side by side changes of the simple and clear structure and decide for yourself if the changes are improvements or not, or just new “flowery language” to replace simple and direct statements of belief.
Some things aren't changed in it. The bottom line is a group of people elected for a short term (year or so) by the General Assembly are supposed to provide governing supervision to the operation of the Louisville organization. (You have to be in an organization about a year to truly add productivity and understand how it works.) It is called the General Assembly Council (GAC).
Our Problem
I've been a Presbyterian and an elder for about thirty-one years. Lately, I've been harsh critic of our organization, not our Church, because from my perspective by the way we select and operate our corporate office, we have allowed it to become a self-serving end in itself. Part of the story is how people motivated for good things eventually let pragmatic concerns replace compassion.
A General Assembly Council, composed mostly of short-term members, is supposed to run our church's affairs but unfortunately, the people that run that organization are our long-term employees who are members. They in fact run the church, neither the oversight body itself, nor us, its members run it because of the way it is structured.
Sure, part of the things they can’t change. If the General Assembly comes up with some odd directive, say “don’t eat at Taco Bell,” we can’t change that. The result is that three or four salaried staff end up running all the ministries of the church and present to the world by their actions what the world sees as our philosophy and belief. That is an important responsibility.
There are some very good people in the corporate organization but their voices are seldom heard. So when you throw out the bath water, let's save the babies.
It is important to understand how the Louisville operation works in relationship to the church at large. (I barely understand how the byzantine thing works myself, it is extremely hard to find detailed information on our PC (USA) web site. The only way I found even a partial bio on a staff person is to search press releases) You can go to this link or this one and try to sort it all out. You could go to the Book of Order, G13.0201. Try to sort it out an put names with your favorite mission activity.
Change Comes from Persistence
So much water goes over the dam and down the river before the stone yields to it. It is the good that is the freeing element and force for change. It is you and your fellow parishioners. You can ask for accountability.
Remember two things. The new leader of PDA has great promise, We need to support him. What he says to the public comes from information his subordinates give him. The problem is those subordinates appear to filter information for reasons unknown. It's a classic problem for leaders, they have to depend on subordinates who can embarrass them.
It can improve if you demand accountability and act on your faith. You, too, are the good remnant, fight for the good of the church and against lethargy. It isn't too late bothers and sisters.
This is my last boring complaint. I hope. From now on, until I leave the Gulf in a few weeks, I hope to tell you stories of your experience.
Peace and Grace
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