The 2002 General Assembly meets in Columbus, Ohio from June 15 to June 22. Presbyterians can send their concerns for the church to the G.A. for deliberation up until 45 days before the Assembly convenes. Typically, only about 15% of the business before a General Assembly comes as overtures from lower governing bodies. A much smaller percentage constitutes business intended as reforms to restore biblical faithfulness to the denomination.

How Presbyterians put business before the G.A.
Sessions may put business before the General Assembly by approving a resolution (called an overture) and seeking the approval of the overture by vote of its presbytery. The presbytery then forwards the overture as its own to the General Assembly.

If the overture seeks to change the constitution, it must be submitted 120 days prior to the Assembly meeting.

However, overtures that do not seek amendment to the constitution are not due until April 16 (if they have financial implications), or as late as May 1 (if they have no financial implications).

Planning for meeting the deadline needs to include the timing of both session and presbytery meetings, but the overture may be faxed to the Office of the General Assembly even on the date of its adoption by presbytery.

Overtures are a way to bring reform
There are a number of areas where changes can be made to benefit the church without the necessity of affecting the constitution. PPL has several suggestions for timely overtures on life issues, including:

• calling for a new study of abortion
• calling the G.A. to support the protection of the lives of babies late in pregnancy
• calling for a requirement that parents be notified when the PC(USA) medical benefits plan will be used to pay for abortion for a minor dependent daughter of a plan member

Other overture possibilities include:

• increasing information to commissioners on nominees for General Assembly positions
• removing vote from advisory delegates in G.A. committees
• reducing staff influence on elected committees of G.A.
• holding G.A. programs accountable

Information on the rules that apply to overtures, and fuller information on overture possibilities is available. Contact PPL for help.

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