I survived another meeting of presbytery.  My blood pressure always starts rising the week before such meetings and beginning about noon the day before I get naseous.  I can relax for another few months now until our next meeting.

One thing that particularly bothers me about church meetings is that differences of opinion are too often made into a litmus test of our Chrisitan committment.  In our meeting yesterday, our congregation strongly disagreed with our Board of Finances’ proposal to raise our per member share from $27 to $69.  The ammendment our congregation proposed passed thereby removing or eliminating several budget items.  The presbytery’s vote was condemned by one member on the floor as not trusting God to provide for us, for not being missional and being provincial and small minded.

In previous meetings I have called into question how we intend to take $10,000 from an account that has only $5,000 in it.  My question was met with an extendend rant of how people are dying and going to Hell and all we can think about is money plus it shows that we are racist.  (The proposal supported Hispanic missions.)  Apparently if I had more compassion for the lost the laws of mathmatics would change.

I’ve heard of several meetings were a member of the body claims that they felt the Spirit  leading the presbytery or assembly in a direction, so obviously to vote against them is to resist the Holy Spirit.

In the closing session of our meeting yesterday, when the tension over an issue was noted I overheard our moderator make a brilliant statement  — ‘It’s not a House Divided, it’s just a vote’.  Sometimes Christians — fully committed, reasonable and informed disciples of Jesus — can disagree.  Disagreeing with you doesn’t necessarily stem from a deep rooted sin or a lack of faith, it could just be a difference of opinion.