A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT

1
A NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT?
2
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE NEW FORM OF
GOVERNMENT?

• DISCUSSION
• Did you know that the GA has a Task Force
  proposing a revised Form of Government?
• If you knew what do you know about the proposed
  Form of Government?

3
History behind nFOG

• Since 1990 there have been regular calls for
  reduction of Book of Order
• 1993 report on Nature of Church and Practice of
  Governance FOG divided into
• Standards and functions uniform across church
• Practices and processes reasonable
  freedom/diversity
• Referred to ACC for systematic review of FOG

4
History (Contd)

• 208th General Assembly (1996) ACC charged with
  creating FOG divided into 3 components
• Foundational principles
• Binding policies
• Advisory practices
• Didnt work
• FOG Task Force also created in 2006

5
217th GA Assignment to FOG Task Force

• To preserve our foundational polity (e.g.,
  current G-1.000 - G-4.000)
• To provide flexibility at all levels, granting
  authority while permitting governing bodies to
  develop the structures to carry out their
  respective missions
• Local congregations as missional communities
• Presbytery as the central governmental unit

6
TF Work, 2006-2008

• Produced two documents
• Foundations of Presbyterian Polity based on
  current FOG chapters 1-4
• New FOG edited from current FOG by removing
  manual language, lists, etc.

7
218th GA Referral

• Engage sessions/presbyteries in study of the nFOG
  documents
• Receive their feedback
• Revise the nFOG based on this feedback
• Have final revision to GA Stated Clerk by
  10/15/2009
• (So presbyterys have sufficient time for
  overtures/communications to 219th GA)

8
WHAT ARE THE BIG IDEAS?

• Move toward Missional Polity
• Base work of Councils (Governing Bodies) on The
  Notes of the Reformed Church
• The Word of God is truly preached and heard,
• The Sacraments are rightly administered
• Ecclesiastical discipline is uprightly ministered
• Have much of what is now regulation in the Form
  of Government in Advisory Handbooks

9
Study and Response

• Presbyteries/sessions study and response, from
  now until June 30, 2009
• Time table for presbytery
• Presbyterywide Discussion March 28 at
• Time to Read and comment now until May 1st
• Our Task Force will send recommendations to the
  May Presbytery meeting
• At the May Presbytery Meeting we will discuss and
  approve recommendations to send to GA FOG Task
  Force in

10
BURNING QUESTIONS

• Please write down one burning question about the
  proposed Form of Government that if answered
  would help you to make an informed decision.

11
More Information

• You can get all the materials from the FOG Task
  Force at http//www.pcusa.org/formofgovernment/in
  dex.htm.
• If you have questions or comments you can send an
  email to