When PARO met Monday, two armed security officers—one in a no-nonsense bullet-proof vest—guarded the meeting-room doors at nearby Westminster Presbyterian Church. This is General Assembly? It is a strange experience to be sternly scrutinized upon entry and watched like a hawk for suspicious behavior. Reaching for a camera in a bulky bag, one almost expects... Continue Reading

“Everything worth doing comes with a cost,” Joey Bailey, of the General Assembly Mission Committee told commissioners during the opening session of the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Bailey was explaining to commissioners that most items of business before the assembly have financial implications, or costs that will affect the two budgets... Continue Reading

The General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations heard open testimony Monday morning from a broad spectrum of people concerned about “Christians and Jews: People of God” and “Understanding Christian-Muslim Relations.” The paper on “Christians and Jews” resulted from criticism of previous actions of the General Assembly in which the governing body was accused... Continue Reading

The Louisville-based Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is half the church it used to be, at least in terms of numbers. The church lost nearly 3 percent of members from 2008 to 2009 and now has 2,077,138 on its rolls, according to a report issued last week from its office of the General Assembly. With that figure,... Continue Reading

“…the assemblage faced east, west, north and south while praying for the Holy Spirit to come and watching people in animal costumes march up the aisles and wander through the worship space.” The sermon and infant baptism focused on the future of the denomination – but not before the assemblage faced east, west, north and... Continue Reading

She will fulfill her responsibility for moderatorial neutrality, thus helping to create an even playing field for those supporting and opposing the replacement document. Newly-elected General Assembly Moderator Cynthia Bolbach has solved an initial conflict of interest. At the moderator’s press conference following her election Saturday night, The Layman magazine (the voice of Evangelicals in... Continue Reading

Each of the major issues (deaconesses and denominational planning) may reveal interesting and unexpected twists and turns, probably not planned by some. The 38th General Assembly of the PCA will probably neither prove to be the disastrous abyss that some think nor the inauguration of the eschaton expected by others. When measured by a longer... Continue Reading

“…people came to an indoctrination, and a dialogue broke out.” Even before General Assembly commissioners were installed, before the Assembly convened, already they and advisory delegates were being instructed on key issues by select voices chosen by the Office of the General Assembly. Whereas some “Riverside Conversations” were one-sided, in the conversation about the Report... Continue Reading

“I hope this morning equips you to be the commissioner that God has called you to be.” With this purpose statement, the Rev. Phil Moran opened the Presbyterians For Renewal (PFR) Briefing Saturday morning, the opening day of PCUSA 2010 General Assembly. Two hundred intrepid commissioners, advisory delegates and observers gathered for this 7 a.m.... Continue Reading

“Our denomination is that paralyzed man,” she said. “We are paralyzed with fatigue over our battles, with fear over how to share the gospel in the 21st century.” Ruling Elder Cynthia Bolbach has been elected moderator of the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) on the fourth ballot cast by commissioners. Candidates must... Continue Reading