Statement Adopted by the Session

Statement Adopted by the Session,

First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Alabama.

 

            In light of recent actions of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, (USA), and the media coverage given to those decisions; and realizing the need for a clear and unambiguous statement of Christian values in our changing secular society; we, the Session of First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Alabama, affirm the following:

 

            We affirm that the requirement to live either in fidelity within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman or chastity in singleness is a standard given by God for all Christians.  It is an essential of reformed faith and polity.  Therefore, all candidates for ordination or installation as elder, deacon, or minister of Word and Sacrament of this congregation shall exhibit a manner of life consistent with this standard, as expressed in our Book of Order.  Any candidate who departs from this essential shall not be ordained to the office of deacon or elder and shall not be installed as pastor of this congregation. We affirm the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman as the only context in which sexual activity is proper and in accord with Holy Scripture.

 

            We affirm the Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God in three Persons, and we reject other language of speaking of the Trinity which is not consistent with the names of God which God has given Himself throughout the Old and New Testament.  We believe that in speaking of the Trinity, we must also affirm the relationship among the three Persons of the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

            We affirm that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the Word of God, and do not merely contain the Word of God.  We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

 

            We affirm that Jesus Christ is God’s only Begotten Son, and that He is the Christ, the only way of salvation for all eternity.

 

With this statement, the Session also authorized its distribution throuth the various media for the information of any who might be interested.

 

At the same time, the Session adopted an overture calling on the Presbytery of South Alabama to affirm the “fidelity and chastity clause” as an essential of reformed faith and declaring that those who cannot affirm G6.0106b will not be ordained by the presbytery or received into its membership.

 

The Session adopted another overture which was sent to the Presbytery of South Alabama regarding the method of selecting commissioners to meetings of the synod and General Assembly.  This overture simply calls on the presbytery to devise a new method of choosing commissioners.  This new procedure will be designed either by a newly appointed committee or by an existing committee of presbytery, and would be  presented to the presbytery at its meeting which takes place during the spring of 2007.