Ruling Elder Steven Vanderhill, stated clerk of North Texas Presbytery, was elected chairman of the 2022 Overtures Committee. Steve Dowling was elected vice chairman.
The Overtures Committee voted to recommend answering the following overtures in the affirmative:
Overture 24, Amend RAO 11-2 and 11-10 to Clarify Who May Submit an Overture. The vote was 126-6.
Overture 29, Amend BCO 16 by Adding 16-4 Regarding Qualifications for Church Office, as amended. The vote was 120-17.
The amended language is as follows:
16-4 Officers in the Presbyterian Church in America must be above reproach in their walk and Christlike in their character. While office bearers will see spiritual perfection only in glory, they will continue in this life to confess and to mortify remaining sins in light of God’s work of progressive sanctification. Therefore, to be qualified for office, they must affirm the sinfulness of fallen desires, the reality and hope of progressive sanctification, and be committed to the pursuit of Spirit-empowered victory over their sinful temptations, inclinations, and actions.
Overture 31, Amend BCO 21-4 and 24-1 by Adding Paragraphs Regarding Requirements for Ordination, in the affirmative as amended. The vote was 111-24. The amended language is here.
The Overtures Committee voted to recommend answering the following overtures in the negative:
Overture 32, Amend RAO 8.4 to Add an Item to the Annual Report of the GA Nominating Committee. The vote was 106-26 .
Overture 16, Amend BCO 25-2 to Require Annual Congregational Meeting and Reporting Standards. The vote was 119-12.
Overture 11, Amend BCO 25-2.e and Add a New Item BCO 25-2.f, New Percentage Threshold for Calling Large Church Congregational Meetings. The vote was 112-20.
Overture 19, Amend BCO 15-2 Regarding Presbytery Commission Membership and Quorum. The vote was 120-11.
Overture 14, Change the Composition of the SJC by Amending BCO 15-4 and RAO 17-1; Amend OMSJC 5.1 and 6.1. The vote was 101-30.
Overture 2, Amend BCO 22-3 to Allow Assistant Pastors to file Complaints against Sessions. The vote was 120-12.
Overtures Committee has voted to recommend answering Overtures 12, 20, and 23 with reference to the committee’s answer to Overture 29. The vote was 122-11.
In a separate vote, the Overtures Committee voted to recommend answering Overture 15, Amend BCO 7 to Disqualify from Office Men Identifying as Homosexual, with reference to the committee’s answer to Overture 29. The vote was 80-47.
The committee also voted to recommend answering Overtures 33, 34, and 35, all titled Use Human Sexuality Report for Study, Examination, and Conciliation, with reference to its actions on Overture 29. The vote was 105-25.
Overtures Committee has voted to recommend that Overture 30, Amend BCO 6-5, 20-3, 25-1, and 24-3, Allowing Congregations to Establish Voting Age Restrictions, be referred back to Pittsburgh Presbytery without prejudice, but with attention to the Committee on Constitutional Business’s report. The vote was 106-27.
Overtures Committee will reconvene on Tuesday, June 21, at 8:30 a.m.