General Conference Session
                      July 5, 1995
                      
By: Jean Thomas
	
	Balloons held together in a large net behind the stage kept popping
off all day as if impatient for the evening program to begin. While
friends and family in the USA celebrated with fun and fireworks,
delegates and visitors to the GC session in Utrecht spent the day in
business session and the evening receiving reports from the Inter and
North American Divisions. NAD's finale, a parade with participants
holding a collage of flags overhead, came to a halt at the front of the
stage as  balloons, now up in the ceiling, cascaded down on the crowd
below. This ended July 4, 1995, except for groups gathered in the hall
and outside on the parking lot who, although not celebrating July 4,
were expressing their delight in being at the GC session by singing
hymns and folk songs. Dressed in colorful native costumes with some
playing musical instruments, these groups delighted passers-by with
their harmony and spirited singing.
	Now, July 5 has dawned. It's  the day many have been waiting for, in
anticipation of a Yes or No vote on women's ordination. The morning has
passed in a regular business session-- working through the proposed
changes in the constitution and bylaws. The main items have been a
clarification of the role of GC and division general vice presidents,
vice presidents in divisions, and assistants to the president of both
the GC and division.
	Dr B Lyn Behrens ends the morning session with a Bible study on
compassion. Using the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son as part of
her presentation she illustrates it in today setting of compassion for
the unlovely, the unwanted, the untouchable. Her question is, "In our
personal journey, how do we deal with broken people? Or those who have
caused others to suffer because of what they have done to them--like
the drunk driver who kills an innocent victim?"
	Two o'clock finds all delegates and visitors in their seats. The
chairman, Dr Calvin Rock gives the background  regarding women's
ordination. The first mention of ordination is in 1881 when 39
delegates, 38 representing the United States and one from England, met
with the three GC officers. The action taken was that females could be
set apart for Christian ministry. This was referred to the GC
committee, but no further word was received from them.
	In 1968 Finland made a request for women to be ordained. Then in 1973
a study group was set up to consider the issue. At the GC session in
1990 this issue was brought to a vote, with 75% voting against and 25%
for women's ordination. And now, here it was again.
	Ground rules are set by the chairman. After division president, Alfred
C McClure states the rationale for the NAD's request, a 20-minute
speech will be made by Dr P Gerard Damsteegt to outline why women's
ordination is unbiblical, and another by Dr Raul Dederen to explain why
the use of certain proof texts are being taken out of context. Speeches
at the "For"  and "Against" microphones will be limited to two minutes,
with three minutes being given in the case of translation.
	As Dr Dederen concludes his statement, a rush is made for the
microphones. The line stretches to the back of the hall. Speeches
"against" ordination are loud and animated. Those "for " are mostly
modulated and to the point. The chairman brings the meeting to a close
before many of those standing speak since a closing time had been
agreed upon at the beginning of the session.
	The GC president, Robert Folkenberg, makes an appeal for everyone to
act as Christians and to accept the outcome as being God's will for the
church. He offers a prayer asking for the guidance of  the Holy Spirit.
Everyone is quiet and subdued.
	The voting cards are collected and counted. Of the 2,154 voters, 673
use the "Yes" card and 1481 use the "No" card, making it 68% against
and 32% for. The chairman closes the meeting with the comment, "The
church has spoken."