The James River Presbytery approved an overture at its April 8, 2017 Stated Meeting, asking the 45^th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America to amend the Rules of Assembly Operation (RAO) Article IX by inserting a new paragraph 9-2. This new paragraph, if amended, would state: “Recommendations for the appointment of ad-interim or study committees shall arise only by way of overtures from Presbyteries, which shall be exclusively submitted to the Overtures Committee for recommendations to the General Assembly.”

The overture will be considered by the 45^th General Assembly of the PCA when it meets in Greensboro, N.C., June 12-16, 2017. An overture is a means by which a Presbytery can bring a matter to the GA for consideration.

Proposed Overture 18 from James River Presbytery
to the 45th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (2017)
“Amend RAO IX So That Ad Interim Committees
May Only Be Formed in Response to Presbytery Overtures”

Whereas Ad Interim committees reflect the will of the PCA as a whole to study or handle particular matters; and

Whereas the PCA, which values subsidiarity, has a “grassroots” tradition, and thus matters affecting the Church as a whole should normally arise from lower courts; and

Whereas recommendations from Permanent Committees may not be amended or perfected by debate by the Assembly; and

Whereas the Assembly’s Overtures Committee is designed to thoroughly debate and perfect resolutions arising from lower courts;

Therefore be it resolved, that RAO Article IX be amended by inserting a new paragraph 9-2, which would read:

9-2. Recommendations for the appointment of ad-interim or study committees shall arise only by way of overtures from Presbyteries, which shall be exclusively submitted to the Overtures Committee for recommendations to the General Assembly.

And further, that the subsequent paragraphs be renumbered accordingly.

Adopted by James River Presbytery at its stated meeting, April 8, 2017
Attested by: /s/ RE Jeremy L. Pryor, stated clerk