General Assembly 2010

General Assembly voted to send several items down to the Presbyteries for vote during the coming months.  Since these decisions are so important to the future of the denomination, and the Presbytery, Council has made the decision to consider and vote at four Presbytery meetings.  The Bills and Overtures Committee, working with the General Assembly commissioners, and the Council, has developed the following schedule.  Discussion and study on a particular subject will occur at one meeting, and be voted on at the next meeting.  For this reason, it is important that sessions plan to elect elder commissioners who will be present for both meetings, in order to be prepared to vote, and then to report back to session.  Small group discussion time will be dedicated to these items during this time.  The following schedule has been established:

• September, 14, 2010, Plymouth Presbyterian, Plymouth, Minnesota
  • Present for study and discussion: Strategic Plan
• November 9, 2010, First Presbyterian, 535 20th Ave. N., South St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Continue discussion on Strategic Plan, Vote on Strategic Plan
  • Study and begin discussion on New Form of Government.  Copies will be distributed.
• January 8, 2011, United Theological Seminary, 3000 Fifth Street, NW, New Brighton, MN  55112
  • Continue discussion on New Form of Government (nFog), Vote on nFog
  • Study and begin discussion on changes and additions to Part I of the Constitution, The Book of  Confessions, including the addition of The Belhar Confession.  Study guides will be distributed.   

• March 12, 2011, Valley Community Presbyterian Church, 3100 Lilac Dr., N., Golden Valley, Minnesota
  • Continue discussion on The Book of Confessions, and The Belhar Confession, Vote on the confessions.
  • Begin discussion on the remaining amendments to the Constitution, including amendments to the Form of Government, Directory for Worship, and the Rules of Discipline.  Study guides will be distributed.

• May10, 2011 (to be announced)
  • Continue discussion and Vote on the Amendments to the Constitution.

This schedule will be available on the website throughout the year.  Council is looking forward to becoming better acquainted with elder commissioners from all of the member congregations.  Sessions are encouraged to ensure that each congregation is represented by continuing elders, according to the eligible numbers assigned in January 2010.  If there are questions about this, please call the stated clerk at 612-871-7281, or email statedclerk@ptcaweb.org .

-Nancy Grittman

This photo pretty much explains itself. Found at the Third Avenue Parking Garage in across from the Minneapolis Convention Center.

During the weeklong 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), IT/Communications Specialist Dennis Sanders took a number of photos on what happened during the event.  If you weren’t able to make it, or if you want to relive GA memories, you view all of the photos at the Presbytery Flickr site.

Mary Gillespie (left) and Ann Rock (right) give donations of socks and underwear to a staffperson from Union Gospel Mission in Minneapolis.

Underwear and socks: simple gifts, simple necessities. Presbyterian Women (PW) in the three hosting presbyteries (Twin Cities Area, Minnesota Valleys, and Northern Waters) collaborated to organize this year’s Gift Project for the 219th General Assembly (2010).

Those coming to Minneapolis were invited to bring underwear, socks and gift cards with them. Expecting to receive 1,500 donations, PW had nearly 7100 by Wednesday afternoon.

Throughout the week the women separated and bagged children’s, women’s and men’s socks and underwear. Ann Rock (a member of First Presbyterian in Stillwater, MN), co-chair of the Gift Project, was surprised by everyone’s desire to help. She was overwhelmed by “the generosity of people who’ve come here… I think they have a real heart for mission.”

A number of commissioners commented on the accessibility of the project. People were able to participate at any level – spending any amount from $3 to $300. The Minneapolis-based Target company gave $1,000 for store credit, which the co-chairs used to purchase gift cards worth $20 each.

Special bags of underwear and socks were made by members of the GA Gift Project, after several men had come by asking for these items.

Even during the interview for this article, several gentlemen approached the Gift Project booth with immediate needs. Gently and respectfully, Rock found the appropriate sizes and shared supplies with them.

Minister commissioner from Donegal Presbytery, the Rev. Jane Deford, participates in a thrift shop ministry with her congregation. She still wanted to contribute to the Gift Project, however, and brought donations to General Assembly. “Quite frankly, underwear and socks offer a dignity to the person wearing it that’s only seen on the inside.”

A total of 18 shelters will receive socks and underwear.

-by Meg Flanagan of Presbyterian News Service.  Dennis Sanders, Commuications Specialist for the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, contributed to this report.

Greetings Friends,

I have been a member of the Civil Union and Christian Marriage committee and we completed our work on Tuesday with the passing of the peace. Our time together was intense, emotional, prayerful, theologically diverse and in the midst  I am  hopeful for our larger church. I am pleased with the results of our work and expect God is doing a new thing with us.  Our results include the recommendation to GA to receive  ”the final report from the civil union and Christian marriage task force” who were assigned to define the meaning of civil unions and Christian marriage; in addition the recommendation to GA 2 overtures: one that defines  marriage as “a covenant between two people” and another that prohibits married persons to testify against the other. I am really enjoying the process, seeing colleagues from across the country, and participating in the shaping the PCUSA. 

Thanks for this opportunity,
Peace,
Pastor Joy Smith 

Joy Smith is a Minister Commissioner to the 219th General Assembly from the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area and is pastor of Presbyterian Church of the Apostles in Burnsville, MN.

I am a member of the Form of Government Revision and am pleased to report that the committee did a lot of good work, and finished up early yesterday (just before 4:00 PM)! We have made some significant amendments to the task force’s proposal, primarily (in my opinion) in the areas of: striking language that narrowly defined the word “church” to refer to the denomination; clarifying language that some interpreted as introducing mandates around per capita collection; clarifying language that some interpreted as giving presbyteries more power over selecting candidates in the call process; inserting the title “committees on representation” for the required entities in councils above the session; other editorial/theological changes of less consequence.

It was a pleasure to be part of the committee, to see the process work well, to collaborate with both overture advocates and task force members to improve the document, and to get done early.

Peace to you,

Matt

Matt Johnson is a Minister Commissioner to the 219th General Assembly from the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area.  He is pastor of Aldrich Avenue Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.