Holiness and Justice: It’s been my privilege to serve on the Presbytery’s Denominational Concerns Task Force, and I am looking forward to the forum on Tuesday. Most of the time at the forum will be given over to listening to the people of the presbytery, but we will begin by giving a report on some our work to date and sharing provisional drafts or some of what we will bring to the presbytery in March. We’re wrestling with issues ranging from property ownership and per capita payments to ordination standards.
One of the pieces we will present is a set of Faith Essentials that we will recommend to the presbytery for use in examining ministers and candidates for membership in the presbytery. Last year’s General Assembly made it clear that each presbytery has the responsibility and privilege of examining candidates and must determine whether candidates meet the ordination standards of the church.