Guide to the Jerry Andrews Papers

Correspondence, minutes, publications, and subject files document Jerry Andrews' service to the PC(USA), the Presbytery of Chicago, the Genevans, and the Presbyterian Coalition.

The collection is divided into five series: The Genevans, 1994-2003; The Presbyterian Coalition, 1996-2010; Chicago Presbytery and PC(USA) Committees, 1994-2008; Homosexuality Resources, 1977-2014; and Audio-visual Recordings, 1996-2012.

The Genevans series, 1994-2003, contains correspondence and meeting minutes documenting Jerry Andrews' work with the Genevans. Included in this series are planning notes and correspondence related to the General Assemblies that the Genevans attended and the information sessions that the organization held to brief assembly commissioners.

The Presbyterian Coalition series, 1996-2010, consists of three subseries documenting Andrews' work with the Presbyterian Coalition. The Administrative Files subseries contains correspondence, meeting minutes, mailing lists, and preliminary meeting notebooks which contain agendas, membership lists, minutes from past meetings, and task force reports. Digital files (text, images, spreadsheets, and webpages) were extracted from a DVD copy of a 2006 board meeting notebook. Also included are two folders from joint meetings that the Coalition held with other renewal groups in the PC(USA), including Presbyterians for Renewal, Presbyterians Pro-life, and the Lay Committee.

The Subject Files subseries contains Andrews' files on the various organizations and issues that the Coalition dealt with, including material on the debate over homosexuality and ordination. The files include correspondence, press releases, and publications. There are two folders that contain proposals for reforming the church created by renewal groups in the PC(USA). Also included are two folders related to the Coalition’s advocacy to reject Amendment A in 1998 and again in 2001. In 1998, Amendment A proposed to strike “fidelity and chastity” from the church’s ordination standards. In 2001, the amendment proposed to give presbyteries the power to make their own decisions regarding all aspects of ordination. 

The Gathering of Presbyterians and Y’all Come Meetings subseries consists of material from the annual Gathering of Presbyterians sponsored by the Coalition. Included in this subseries are correspondence and meeting notes from the gathering planning teams and packets of resource materials that were sent to attendees. The packets contain copies of General Assembly reports and statements on current issues facing the PC(USA). For videotapes of Gathering III, IV, and VI see the Audio-visual Recordings series, subseries 1.

Also included in this subseries are planning correspondence and notes from Y’all Come meetings. These were open meetings held by the Coalition following General Assemblies, centered on assessing assembly actions and possible responses.

The Chicago Presbytery and PC(USA) Committees series, 1994-2008, consists of material related to Andrews' work with the Presbytery of Chicago and the PC(USA). Included in this series is correspondence regarding the Presbytery of Chicago’s campaign to pass Amendment B and collected resources from the presbytery's homosexuality task force. There are also two folders related to the Peace, Unity, Purity Task Force of the Chicago Presbytery which studied the work of the PC(USA) General Assembly Theological Committee on the Peace, Unity, and Purity of the Church.

The series also contains material from Andrews' role as moderator for the General Assembly Committee on Theological Issues and Educational Institutions and correspondence from his time spent as a commissioner to the General Assembly.

The Homosexuality Resources series, 1977-2014, consists of reference files containing publications, essays, and presentations that Andrews collected during his ministry. Included in this series are four folders of articles on homosexuality and Christianity; reports from task forces in the UPCUSA and the PC(USA); overtures to the General Assembly on homosexuality and ordination; and compiled scriptural passages.

The Audio-visual Recordings series, 1996-2012, is organized into two subseries. The Gathering of Presbyterians subseries contains videotapes from three gatherings organized by the Coalition, including addresses given by Andrews and panel discussions. See the Presbyterian Coalition series, subseries 3 for related material.

The Homosexuality and Ordination subseries consists of videotapes, DVDs, and audio-cassettes related to debates over homosexuality and the church. Included in this subseries are videotapes of conferences on the church and homosexuality, presentations to the PC(USA) General Assembly committee on ordination standards, and roundtable discussions on homosexuality. The videotapes "In the Midst of God's Yes, Is There a No? Shall We Ordain Practicing Homosexuals" and "A Faithful Vote: No on Amendment A" have been digitized.