Presbytery of Olympia – Complaint Filed with Synod of Alaska-Northwest!

On November 1, 2006, a complaint was filed with the Synod of Alaska-Northwest’s Permanent Judicial Commission against the Presbytery of Olympia’s Resolution of September 21, 2006. The motion approved by the Presbytery on September 21, 2006, was:

“We hereby declare that in our discernment of the movement of the Holy Spirit, every mandate of the Book of Order (2005-2007) is an essential of reformed polity. Therefore, any violation of a mandate of the Book of Order (2005-2007) constitutes a failure to adhere to the essentials of reformed polity and thus presents a bar to ordination and installation.”

The complainants request that the Synod Permanent Judicial Commission:

• Stay implementation of Olympia Presbytery’s Resolution of September 21, 2006 pending completion of this litigation. A separate Request for Stay of Enforcement, and proposed Stay of Enforcement, accompany this Complaint.
• Order Olympia Presbytery to rescind its Resolution of September 21, 2006, and to make its assessments of fitness for ordained service in compliance with Book of Order G-6.0108, as authoritatively interpreted by the 217^th General Assembly;
• Instruct Olympia Presbytery, as urged by the 217^th General Assembly, to undertake structured processes of community building and collective discernment regarding its privileges and obligations as part of the Christian community known as the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);
• Order the Stated Clerk of Olympia Presbytery to report this Commission’s Decision and Order to the Presbytery at its first meeting after receipt, to enter the full Decision and Order upon its minutes, and to send an excerpt of those minutes showing entry of the Decision and Order to the Stated Clerk of the Synod of Alaska-Northwest; and
• Order such further action to ensure full and effective compliance with the Constitution, in matters at issue in this Complaint, as this commission deems appropriate.

(Requests quoted from page 4 of the complaint)