News from GA

Israel/Palestine: The General Assembly voted 266–116 to approve INT-02, a “Recognition that Israel’s Laws, Policies and Practices Constitute Apartheid Against the Palestinian People.” It declares that the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) “recognizes that the laws, policies, and practices of the government of Israel regarding the Palestinian people fulfill the international legal definition of apartheid.”

Fossil fuel divestment: General Assembly approved ENV-10 calling for divestment from five oil and gas companies — Chevron, ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, and Valero Energy — because they are not doing enough to slow global warming. Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) reports that this is the first time the PC(USA) has voted to divest from companies that are out of compliance with GA’s environmental policies (established in 2018).

Unification and National Structure: On a vote of 321–54, General Assembly approved FIN-10, which calls for a commission to combine the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) and the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA). The assembly also approved MOV-02, which moves Mission Engagement and Support (MES) from the Mission Agency to the Administrative Services Group, which supports both OGA and PMA.

Unified budget/per capita: The assembly approved FIN-14, which includes unified budgets for the Office of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Mission Agency, and the Administrative Services Group of the PC(USA), A Corporation. The budget for the three agencies and entities totals $88.3 million in 2023 and $89.5 million in 2024. The breakdown of the budget will be 16% for OGA, 79% for PMA, and 5% for ASG.

The assembly voted to approve FIN-13 which assesses a per capita rate of $9.85 per member in 2023 and $9.80 per member in 2024. The current rate is $8.98 per member, meaning an 87-cent (9.6%) increase next year. The 2024 rate will drop by five cents (0.5%). The per capita budget for 2023 was approved at $15.2 million and $15.6 million for 2024.

Immigration: By a vote of 340–25, the General Assembly approved IMM-06, allowing a congregation to declare itself a “Sanctuary and Accompaniment Church.” The assembly’s Immigration Committee says the decision sends a message that the church is committed to working for justice in U.S. immigration policy.

Gun violence: General Assembly renewed its commitment to end gun violence and will develop a 10-year campaign, the Decade to End Gun Violence (2022–2032), and directed MRTI to engage with Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Kroger, three publicly traded companies held by either the Board of Pensions or Presbyterian Foundation, that sell guns not classified as semi-automatic and assault-based weapons.

Ukraine: The assembly voted 374–1 to approve INT-19, a commissioners’ resolution condemning the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and crimes against humanity, and calling for a cease-fire and the immediate resumption of internationally mediated negotiations.

Race and gender justice: Commissioners and advisory delegates approved RGJ-07: “A Resolution Addressing the Lack of Installed Pastoral Leadership in People of Color Congregations in the PC(USA) — From the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee” and RGJ-08: “On Offering an Apology to African Americans for the Sin of Slavery and Its Legacy.”

A two-hour plenary ended with votes overwhelmingly approving both items, and with white Presbyterians reading aloud “A Litany of Repentance” found in RGJ-08, which begins with the words: “As white Christians we repent of our complicity in the belief in white supremacy.”

The assembly also approved RGJ-12 calling for a new special committee to expose white supremacy within the denomination and make recommendations for improvement, and approved RGJ-13, directing the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation to “create educational resources for congregations to identify and interrupt practices and policies that perpetuate the adultification of Black girls and criminalization of adolescent behavior.” Commissioners and advisory delegates passed a resolution, RGJ-14, denouncing violence against Asian women and Pacific Islanders.

Approved by a vote of 348–38, HSB-11 affirms that women and pregnant people are full moral agents, created in the image of God, and supports their moral capacity to decide whether to continue or end any given pregnancy. It also denounces attempts to prevent people from receiving essential health care and rejects attempts at all levels of government to reduce, limit, or eliminate access to contraceptive and abortion care.

The Church will form a committee to write a new PC(USA) confession.

226th General Assembly: The assembly voted to change the format of the 226th General Assembly, whereby committee meetings will be held online, with in-person plenaries being conducted on site in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2024. The assembly is expected to cost approximately $2.8 million.

Mid councils: Commissioners and advisory delegates approved MC-10, which creates a task force to explore the theology and practice of ordination for ruling elders and recommend any changes to the 226th General Assembly (2024). The task force will include representatives who identify as BIPOC, immigrant congregations, and New Worshiping Communities. Several amendments and motions were considered, but the overture was approved as amended by the committee.

Book of Order amendments: The General Assembly also passed several items which would amend the Book of Order, pending ratification by 100 Presbyteries within the next year. These include: POL-16, widening the use of inclusive language; POL-10, requiring all councils to adopt and implement antiracism and harassment policies (along with the already-mandated child and youth protection and sexual misconduct policies); and HSB-06, which adds a minimum of twelve weeks paid family medical leave under ministers’ terms of call.

Advisory Delegates: The General Assembly approved changes to the Standing Rules (STAN-22) that alter requirements for those serving as Young Adult Advisory Delegates to the assembly. YAADs must be:

• An active member of a PC(USA) congregation or a participant in a new worshipping community or immigrant fellowship that has a relationship with a presbytery.

• Between 18 and 23 years of age on the day the assembly convenes.

The full text of the overtures and resolutions referenced in this summary can be found using the Search tool on the PC(USA)’s website pc-biz.org