PITTSBURGH, June 30, 2012 – Over 3,000 Presbyterians gathered for opening worship of the 220th General Assembly Saturday, June 30 – with the preacher proclaiming that the assembly would both start and end its work with worship. The opening service included music and liturgical dance offered by Presbybop, Three Rivers Ringers, a ceremonial brass quintet and a mass choir, along with celebration of the Eucharist.
Cynthia Bolbach, moderator of the 219th General Assembly, delivered the message based on the story in the second chapter of Mark’s gospel about the paralyzed man lowered down from the roof of a house to catch a glimpse of Jesus. As she opened her sermon, Bolbach recalled referencing this same text two years ago as a moderatorial candidate. At the time, she compared the PC(USA) to the paralyzed man, stymied by fear and uncertainty as to how to effectively preach the gospel.
Now, two years later, Bolbach reads this text differently. Over the past two years, she has witnessed a vibrancy which shows to her that the PC(USA) is not paralyzed. “I’ve not drunk some kind of denominational Kool-Aid,” she assured worshippers. Instead, Bolbach affirmed that what she has observed over two years has been “the church has been living not with paralysis, but with change.”
Returning to Mark’s gospel, Bolbach noted that the paralyzed man was lifted onto the roof by a group of men – not necessarily his friends – who were acting as disciples, cutting a hole in the roof and willing to take risks to help another, even possibly a stranger, see Jesus.
Without such disciples, Bolbach continued, “we don’t have a church.”
She implored Presbyterians to embrace the risk-taking attitude of these disciples and to lift others – even those they may not know or like – up to see Jesus during the assembly’s business this week. “Let us pray that we can be given the faith Jesus saw in those disciples,” Bolbach closed with. “We will be helping people see Jesus. What more could we ask for?”
Offerings collected during worship will support Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (both nationally and internationally) as well as two local groups, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the Lazarus Fund, which provides financial assistance to families and individuals of Allegheny County who face economic difficulties.
Landon Whitsitt, vice-moderator of the 219th General Assembly, presided over the communion celebration. The elements were served on blown glass chalices and etched glass patens commissioned for the 220th General Assembly from the Pittsburgh Glass Center and crafted by Brent Craig, a local artist.
