Sunday at General Assembly in Pittsburgh

The General Assembly re-elected our Stated Clerk and confirmed the Moderator's choice for his Vice Moderator.

Gradye Parsons has served as the Stated Clerk since 2008.  What is the Stated Clerk?  To over simplify matters, this is the Chief Ecclesiastical Officer of our church.  As the "CEO" the Stated Clerk makes sure that the General Assembly meeting goes well and that throughout the year the church conforms to our Book of Order.  There is a lot more to it than that - so let's just add that it is a very important and difficult task that requires the right person called by God.

I've known Gradye since he and I were in Holston Presbytery (Tennessee) together.  When I saw him today, I teased him, telling him that he hasn't aged a bit.  "It's the job," he said, "it keeps me young."  I doubt that - I can't imagine the demands of this position.

As for the election of the Vice Moderator, that was not as smooth as the Stated Clerk's.  Neal Presa, our new Moderator, had selected Tara Spuhler McCabe of National Capital Presbytery to be his Vice Moderator.  Prior to the vote, there was a motion to suspend the rules and allow debate on her election.  A majority of those present voted in favor of this, but suspending the rules is one of those motions that requires more than a simple majority - it requires a 2/3rd majority and on that the motion fell short.

When it came time to vote on McCabe's election, she received 60% of the vote.  With that she was commissioned and will now serve as the Vice Moderator.

Why the issue?

McCabe has acknowledged that in April she officiated at a wedding of two women who married in the District of Columbia.  Same sex marriage is an issue that will be debated at this General Assembly and on this Moderator Presa and McCabe disagree.

Click here for more information about Presa and McCabe and how they differ on this topic of marriage.