Weekly Outlook - 🗣️ The highly-debated Olympia overture: Op-eds

Dear readers,  Our dedicated Outlook team has been keeping a close eye on the inflow of overtures for the upcoming summer's General Assembly. One of them has garnered a lot of conversation in the Presbyterian corners of the internet: POL-01, formerly known as Overture 1 and colloquially known as the Olympia overture (since Olympia Presbytery brought it forward).  POL-01 has two parts. As Patrice Gaines reported for the Outlook, "The first section ... would add LBGTQIA+ members to the list of 'protected classes' against which the PC(USA) will not tolerate discrimination. The second segment ... could lead some presbyteries to deny ordination to candidates who do not affirm the denomination’s principles of non-discrimination and representation." For this week's newsletter, we have curated a collection of diverse opinions on the overture. Despite where you stand on POL-01, we invite you to listen to some of the many voices that make up our denomination. As Karen Rohrer recently wrote in our May issue on innovation, "Listening is a way to be present to something — God, the world, other people, yourself." Listening, particularly to opinions that differ from yours, allows us to innovate and live into our denomination's call to be "reformed and always reforming." And if you feel that your opinion on the overture isn't represented and is needed to further the conversation, write us a note. Our coverage of this issue, and all the issues coming to GA, will continue throughout the summer. God's peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Outlook digital content editor P.S. Our coverage of GA also includes a webinar with moderator candidates and bulletin inserts. Scroll to the bottom of the email to learn more!

It is time for clarity — and for faithfulness without fear by Brian Ellison Olympia overture will “narrow us” by The Fellowship Community Embracing diversity without exclusion by Jack Haberer Theologically diverse Presbyterian study group assesses the Olympia overture POL-01 helps PC(USA) fight discrimination for generations by Daniel Herron The ongoing dialogue on LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) reported by Patrice Gaines  In case you missed it... PC(USA) takes major move in unifying OGA, PMA and A Corp Three PC(USA) governing bodies unanimously recommended “Unifying budget” to upcoming GA. — John Bolt Embracing belligerent hospitality: Moving beyond welcome to community building  When there is so much division and strife in our day-to-day, we need something more than radical hospitality to bind us. We need what I call belligerent hospitality, writes Maggie Alsup. Beyond Justification: Liberating Paul’s Gospel "While we were announcing a conditional gospel, God loved us unconditionally. The repair of the gospel is to simply lay hold of what has been the good news from the beginning." — Alan Koeneke ‘We’re taking it down to the level of the studs’ Unification Commission co-moderators describe efforts halfway through the combining PMA and OGA. — John Bolt Continuing education for gun violence prevention Join the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship at the James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage on Aug. 22-25, 2024, at Ghost Ranch. The hospitality of silence Karie Charlton finds new depths to hospitality during a silent retreat. What if ministry isn’t about what we think it’s about? When the congregation at Arlington Presbyterian Church decided to be the church, Sharon Core reflects, profound shifts followed.