PresbyMEME

March 20, 2008 by Mark
Filed under: Religion, Weblogs

Meme courtesy of Shawn, originally started by Bruce.

in about 25 words each (OK, I can’t do that, but I think I average to about 25), answer the following five questions;
tag five presbyterian bloggers and send them a note to let them know they were tagged;
be sure to link or send a trackback to this post;

1. What is your earliest memory of being distinctly Presbyterian?

This is a close one. Being elected as YAD to the Synod of the Northeast from Palisades Presbytery as a high school junior, followed 3 weeks later by ordination as a deacon.

The YAD election was really cool. Youth from all over the presbytery (one per church participating – about 15-20 total) did a lock-in at a church in the middle of the presbytery. The youth did a program to determine (today we’d say “discern”) what skills and attitude are important for a representative to General Assembly or Synod. Then in the morning we would elect 4 youth to represent the presbytery – a GA YAD, a GA alternate, a Synod YAD, a Synod alternate.

This is also one of the saddest memories of my life. The girl who was elected alternate to GA died in a car/train accident about 4 weeks later – one day before I planned to call her and ask her out on a date.

2. On what issue/question should the PC(USA) spend LESS energy and time?

Attempting to draw a line around the acceptable beliefs (“essential tenets”). This is religion, not a government computer system. Gray is acceptable – black and white is not required.

3. On what issue/question should the PC(USA) spend MORE energy and time?

Evangelism and mission in the local community. We are dwindling in numbers because we think the “church” is a building. The church is people. We need to create, execute, and most importantly promote positive messages and actions in our communities. We need to stop defining who is and isn’t a club member and start being radically inclusive. It’s time to stop being a club and start being a movement again.

4. If you could have the PC(USA) focus on one passage of scripture for an entire year, what would it be?

Matthew 7:1-5. Time to stop concentrating on others’ beliefs and start concentrating on our own – and how well we live up to them.

5. If the PC(USA) were an animal what would it be and why?

A starving dog, who has started eating other dogs held captive with it in order to survive.

Extra Credit: Jesus shows up at General Assembly this year, what does he say to the Presbyterian Church (USA)?

“You seem to have a lot of food here; I guess I don’t need to do the loaves and fishes bit. How do you plan to share your abundance with those who need it?”

I tag: Cheesehead in Paradise, Search the Sea, St. Casserole, some amusing blog pun, and Unresolved Tensions.

Tags: meme, pcusa, presbymeme, presbyterian