|
The following is not currently an overture
to the General Assembly. The following contains the elements of a proposed Two Synod Structure.
A Two Synod Structure would consist of the two primary wings of the church, the Auburn Primary Synod (Progressives)
and the Westminster Primary Synod (Evangelicals). Each of these two Primary Synods would consist of an elected Board
of Nine, on which the General Assembly Stated Clerk and the General Assembly Moderator, would be permanent
voting members, creating a total board membership of 11. The General Assembly would have jurisdication over Missions,
Pensions, and other Administrative matters. Each Primary Synod (Auburn and Westminster) would, independently
from the other Primary Synod, determine their own ordination standards, theological statements of faith, educational
materials to be used in their governing bodies, church growth, church planting and evangelism methods.
The Permanent Judicial Commission would be reorganized, such that each of the Primary Synods would
have their own Permanent Judicial Commission whose jurisdiction ends at the top Primary Synod level.
The PJC at the General Assembly level would be replaced with a General Assembly Arbitration Board which would be an
ecclesiastical court of limited jurisdiction, e.g. no jurisdiction to decide ordination standards, statements
of faith, etc..
The existing Synods would be reorganized into sub-Synods aligned with their respective Primary
Synod, the Auburn or Westminster Primary Synod. There would be two Sub-Synods in each region,
each representing their respective Primary Synod (Auburn or Westminster). The two Sub-Synods, each representing
their respective Primary Synod (Westminster or Auburn), would use the same geographical boundaries, so that
they can work together on various projects, administer camps and retreat sites, etc.
The existing Presbyteries
would be split into two, one Auburn, one Westminster, each congregation, by a 60% vote would chose their Primary Synod (Auburn
or Westminster), to affliliate with. "Cross-Over Committees" would be created between the Presbyteries located
within the same geographic boundaries to keep the Presbyteries working closely together. Prebyteries,
of each Primary Synod, with less than 27 congregations, would be merged with other Presbyteries of the same
Primary Synod The geographic boundaries of the new Presbytery would be redrawn. All of the Presbyteries
of the other Primary Synod, in that same geographic region, would be included in those boundaries, to create
a Presbytery Region, so that the "Cross-Over Committees" in the same geographical area (Presbytery Region) could
be formed and would be meaningful. The result would be that the congregations of both Primary Synods would
work closely together at the Presbytery level, in areas of mutual concern and mission
|
