by Talitha Phillips<\/em><\/p>\n Blogging live from the Presbyterian Church (USA)\u2019s bi-annual gathering, General Assembly (GA).<\/em><\/p>\n Nearly 3,000 Presbyterians have descended upon Minneapolis, with nametags flapping, outfitted in everything from suits to sloganed T-shirts, meandering like tourists around the convention center & associated hotels. We stick out like a circus. I watch us bumbling around and wonder \u2014 what ARE we doing?<\/p>\n When we invest gadzooks of money into a week of imposed togetherness in some chosen city\u2026 one of the bluntest ways to put it is that we are taking our collective temperature. How hot are we on gay ordination this year? Because it comes up year after year, and a slow shift has been taking place. So every GA we test it \u2014 is the church prepared to make a change, or has it not yet reached critical mass? And some of the issues change over time. The situation in Palestine has been worsening \u2014 are people ready to get outraged? Of course we know that some are, and some aren\u2019t, but we get together to take a lot of votes and see where the median and majority lie\u00a0\u2026 that hardly makes sense, though. That\u2019s a wickedly expensive poll \u2014 I could administer one through surveymonkey.com for zero dollars, and have it done ten minutes ago.<\/p>\n To put it in a more positive light, we\u2019re struggling together for common ground. We gather from far-flung lands, states, schools and theologies, and try to affirm the things we can all agree on. Sometimes our minds get blessedly changed in the process, and sometimes it\u2019s just an exercise in holding on to the major things and letting go of the minors.<\/p>\n But most of all (though most invisibly) we come together to try to see Christ in the other, see God in our common work, and open our hearts to Spirit above, around, and among us all. We gather to seek transformation and inspiration together, and to hold one another accountable. We surround our communal impasses and ask God to make a way. We wait, quieten, listen, pray, read Scripture, and look up for the Spirit brooding over us \u2013 we try to get on that ride. Sometimes it sweeps us off our feet and sometimes our heels are stuck in and dragging, but God always shows up. May it be so this week at General Assembly!<\/p>\n