The Administrative Committee convened on Monday, June 17, to discuss several matters regarding the administration of the denomination and to make recommendations on those matters to the 41st General Assembly. Significant among the issues considered:
- Regarding business from last year, Overture 2012-43, the committee recommends that the wording of Rules of Assembly Operation be amended to encourage all presbyteries to contribute a recommended annual sum of $500, in order to equip more presbyteries to host General Assembly.
- The committee overwhelmingly answered Overture 1 in the negative on the grounds that “including a half-dozen items as a special order in the Rules of Assembly Operations is not necessary, would be difficult to change, and could create some logistical requirements that may not be possible to meet.” Discussion in the committee also noted that the General Assembly schedule could potentially be modified if any future recommendations from the subcommittee on ruling elder participation are adopted.
- In response to Overture 11, the committee answered in the affirmative a recommendation to study the feasibility of moving to a largely-paperless General Assembly in future years. Under consideration would be making the docket available wirelessly, hopefully cutting costs for the denomination.
- The committee also recommends that the budget for a proposed ad-interim study committee on Sabbath language in the Westminster Confession of Faith be set at $15,000, with funds to come from gifts to the AC and from North Texas Presbytery, provided that the Assembly approves the overture (the overtures committee ruled in the negative on this issue).
- Regarding future Assemblies, the committee recommends that General Assembly accept the invitation of Tennessee Valley Presbytery to host the Forty-third General Assembly in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in June of 2015.
These votes will be considered by the full Assembly later this week.