The Assembly ratified most BCO amendments approved last year (with Item 3 defeated and Item 7 approved. The Overtures Committee continued its work, recommending approval for electronic meetings of committees, four-year terms for coordinators, and an amendment requiring both wine and grape juice for the Lord’s Supper at GA

Assembly Convenes

The 53rd General Assembly convened and, after a worship service, elected Ruling Elder Mel Duncan to serve as moderator of the Assembly. Read about Duncan here.

The Assembly heard the report of Provisional Stated Clerk John Bise.

BCO Amendments

The Assembly voted to ratify BCO amendments that were first approved by the 52nd General Assembly and then sent to the presbyteries for approval. Items 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 were approved in omnibus. Item 3 was voted down. Item 7 was approved. Read more about those BCO amendments here.

Election of Stated Clerk

Teaching Elder Fred Greco was elected to be the PCA stated clerk. Read about Greco here.

Partial Reports

The Assembly heard a partial report from the Review of Presbytery Records to prepare for RPR’s full report on Wednesday morning.

Ad Interim Committee Partial Report

The Assembly heard a partial report from the Ad Interim Committee on the Directory for Public Worship.

Special Committee Reports

The Assembly heard reports from the Theological Examining Committee, Cooperative Ministries Committee, and Committee on Constitutional Business.

Overtures Committee

The Overtures Committee reconvened on Tuesday morning to continue working through overtures.

Overtures Committee voted to recommend answering Overture 45 from Covenant Presbytery, “Amend RAO 8-4.i to Require that Floor Nominations for Committees and Agencies Come from Previously Submitted Presbytery Nominees,” in the negative. The vote was 116-17-1.

OC voted to answer Overture 47 from Suncoast Presbytery, “Amend RAO 8-4.i to Require that Floor Nominations for Committees and Agencies Come from Previously Submitted Presbytery Nominees,” with reference to the committee’s action on Overture 45. The vote was 128-5-1.

The committee voted to recommend answering Overture 9 from Hills and Plains Presbytery, “Amend RAO 8-4.i to Highlight Proportionate Representation of Presbyteries by Floor Nominations,” in the negative. The vote was 124-8.

The committee has voted to answer Overture 46 from New York State Presbytery, “Add BCO 29-5 on Public Allegations without Prior Reporting to the Court of Jurisdiction as Probable Violations of the Ninth Commandment,” in the negative. The vote was 107-25-1.

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