Special Presbytery Meeting
January 7, 2008
Dear Minister Members and Elder Commissioners,
On Saturday, January 26, 2008, we will gather as a Presbytery to act on the request from Dr. Paul Capetz for restoration to the office of Minister of Word and Sacrament. We are meeting in special session because Dr. Capetz has declared a departure (also called a “scruple of conscience” or “principled objection”) to section G-6.0106b of the Book of Order. We are aware that this closely follows the meeting of the Presbytery on Saturday, January 12, but we believe that this issue is one that needs our thoughtful and prayerful discernment rather than docketed time at a regular meeting of the Presbytery.
You will recall that at the November meeting of the Presbytery, the Committee on Ministry (COM) requested that the previously scheduled special meeting (which was to be held on December 1, 2007) be cancelled. The Presbytery also directed the COM to state the departure and provide the Presbytery with its rationale for recommending that G-6.0106b be considered non-essential and that Dr. Capetz be restored to ordained office.
The call to the meeting that accompanies this letter provides both the stated departure (Attachment A) and the rationale for the COM recommendation (Attachment B). Attachment C is the Minority Report. Because this is a complex issue requiring intentional preparation, we strongly encourage all minister members and elder commissioners to spend time in prayer and engagement with both Scripture and the documents relevant to Dr. Capetz’s request for restoration. All the relevant documents are posted on the Presbytery website (www.ptcaweb.org).
In particular, we commend to you the three papers written by Dr. Capetz and referenced in his statement of departure. This material is posted solely to help you better understand Dr. Capetz’s rationale for his request, not to advocate for it, and no material by anyone other than Dr. Capetz will be posted.
In addition to the documentation provided, we also encourage you to be familiar with the Report of the Theological Task Force on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church, which you will find at www.pcusa.org/peaceunitypurity/finalreport.htm, and particularly with Recommendation 5 dealing with the authoritative interpretation of section G-6.0108 of the Book of Order, which begins on p. 35 of the Report at line 1048. The section, Why is an authoritative interpretation needed? on p. 37 is especially helpful with regard to the distinction between “standards” and “essentials.”
The COM task force (Deb Kielsmeier, David Liddle and Gale Robb) has already met with some members of Presbytery who have expressed concern or had questions about the process and the request for restoration. If there are others who would like to talk with them, you are invited to join them immediately following the January 12 meeting of the Presbytery in the Assembly Hall of The House of Hope Presbyterian Church.
A variety of logistical and other concerns attend any decision about the location of a meeting of this size and importance. The Presbytery members involved in planning the meeting have had to consider the need for a central location, adequate parking, space to seat at least 300 commissioners both at tables and in plenary session, perceptions of the neutrality of the site, the ability to spatially separate observers from commissioners, and the seating of observers and press. While no site is perfect, at Dr. Capetz’ suggestion Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina has graciously agreed to host the meeting. The chapel at Christ Presbyterian will be open from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on Friday, January 25, for those Presbytery members who wish to spend time in individual prayer or reflection on Scripture. Realizing that not everyone will be able to gather for prayer in Edina on Friday evening in addition to attending the meeting on Saturday, it is the hope of the planners that congregations across the Presbytery will provide opportunities for their own prayer and reflection prior to the meeting.
It is important to keep in mind that every time a departure is declared, the Presbytery must act on that specific departure on an individual basis. The decision made regarding Dr. Capetz’s request pertains only to his request for restoration. Should another request come to the Presbytery with a declared departure, the Presbytery will consider that request, apart from any previous decisions.
It is also important to keep in mind that the request of Dr. Capetz for restoration to the exercise of ordained office does not ask us to change the standard for ordination as stated in G-6.0106b. We are only asked to consider:
- whether or not Dr. Capetz’s stated departure constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and polity;
- whether or not to restore Dr. Capetz – given who he is as an actual, fallible human being and considering the reasons for his principled objection to one particular section of the constitution - to the office of Minister of Word and Sacrament in a particular ministry, at this particular time and place in the life of the church and with the blessing of this particular Presbytery.
Finally, in order to insure that vote counts and lunch counts are as accurate as possible, we are asking that all commissioners and minister members who are planning to attend this special meeting register at the Presbytery website or by mail (using the enclosed form) with the Presbytery office by the morning of January 23rd.
Please be in prayer with us as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance together.
Faithfully,
Ward Sessing, Moderator
JoAnn Simser, Vice-Moderator
Anita Cummings, Chair of the Council
Nancy Grittman, Stated Clerk
Deb Kielsmeier, COM Task Force
David Liddle, COM Task Force
Gale Robb, COM Task Force
PLEASE NOTE: Online registrations are now closed. Minister Members and Elder Commissioners can still register by phone by calling Office Manager, Risa Anderson at 612-871-7281 or you can register at the church on Saturday morning. Visitors can register at the church on Saturday morning.
Directions to Christ Presbyterian
From the North:
Take I-35 to I-35 W. Take exit 27B to merge onto I-694 W. Take exit 35A to merge onto MN-100 S. Take the exit toward W. 70th St. Merge onto Normandale Road. Turn left at W. 70th St. Turn left at Normandale Road.
From the South:
Take I-35 W to I-494 W/MN-5 W. Take exit 7A to merge onto MN-100 N. Take the W. 70th St. exit. Slight left at Normandale Road.
From the East:
Take I-94 W/US-12 W to the exit onto I-494 S. Take exit 7A to merge onto MN-100 N. Take the W. 70th St. exit. Slight left at Normandale Road.
From the West:
Take CR-62 E to the exit onto MN-100 S. Take the exit toward W. 70th St. Merge onto Normandale Road. Turn left at W. 70th St. Turn left at Normandale Road.
Materials for Special Stated Meeting
The following documents are in PDF format.
January 26, 2008 Meeting Materials (in a .zip file) Please Note: The Theological Task for on Peace, Unity and Purity of the Church is NOT included in the .zip file but can be downloaded at by clicking here. ATTENTION! A new document has been added concerning Parliamentary Procedures which can be downloaded by going here.
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January 26, 2008 Meeting Materials (in PDF Format) Contents:
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Special Presbytery Meeting Info
Where:Christ Presbyterian Church, 6901 Normandale Road, Edina, MN 55435. Directions are available on this page or you can contact the church at: www.christpresbyterian.com or 952-920-4775.
When: January 26
Time: 9:30am-3:30pm
PLEASE NOTE: Online registrations are now closed. Minister Members and Elder Commissioners can still register by phone by calling Office Manager, Risa Anderson at 612-871-7281 or you can register at the church on Saturday morning. Visitors can register at the church on Saturday morning.