GA in 2016: Tom Hay shares 6 things that will be different this year

ATLANTA – During the NEXT Church 2016 national gathering, Tom Hay, the director of operations for the Office of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), met with a small group over lunch on Feb. 23. Anyone interested to learn more about the 222^nd General Assembly (meeting in Portland, Oregon, June 18-25) was invited to attend.

During the discussion, Hay shared six things that will be different at this summer’s GA:

1. Public transport. Participants will be issued a week-long pass to use Portland’s MAX Light Rail public transportation system. One advantage: a huge financial savings for the denomination (estimated at about $60,000 compared with the cost of providing shuttle service). Another factor: Hay anticipates that there will be a lot of discussion at the assembly about fossil fuels. He said, “I think it’s important that we experience some of what that means” by living in a way that reduces fossil fuel consumption. In this spirit, Hay was asked if the assembly would be truly “paperless.” The answer: not yet. All commissioners and advisory delegates must have a tablet or computer because documents for the meeting will be accessible through the PC-Biz website (www.pc-biz.org). However, Hay said, “We haven’t gone a whole assembly without a system crashing yet.”   (Stated clerks are aware of the need for computers and will make sure their commissioners are equipped. Computers will be rented to commissioners/delegates if needed, Hay said.)
2. Co-moderator opportunity. The 222^nd General Assembly will be the first one where co-moderator candidates can stand as a team (in contrast with a slate of one moderator and a vice-moderator). To date, one co-moderator team (T. Denise Anderson and Jan Edmiston) has announced that they will stand for moderator.       (David Parker is also standing for moderator, but has not announced whether it will be with a co-moderator or vice moderator). Candidates have until April to announce plans to stand, so other candidates may yet come forward. Hay said moderators need to possess two skills: moderating the assembly and serving as moderator between meetings. Some moderators have both skills while others excel more strongly in one aspect. Hay said the possibility of co-moderators allows for different gifts and a shared load. “This is new territory,” Hay said, and should co-moderator candidates be elected, the PC(USA) would not going to prescribe how shared the responsibility, but would allow them to model it for the denomination in their own styles.
3. Bible study. Instead of worship services on Monday and Tuesday mornings, committees will be provided with materials to use to engage in Bible studies as committees.
4. Belhar Confession. Presbyteries have voted to add the Belhar Confession from South Africa to the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions. Now, the final step to take that action will be a vote by the assembly. Allan Boesak, a former president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches who spoke on reconciliation and justice at the NEXT gathering on Feb. 22, will speak at the ecumenical breakfast Wednesday morning at the assembly. The vote on Belhar will be that afternoon.
5. Conversations. Intentional conversations have been happening around the PC(USA), mainly related to better understanding the core identity of the Presbyterian Church: The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly has been leading conversations on the identity of the church, General Assembly moderator Heath Rada has issued a “Call to the Church,” Foothills Presbytery invited discussion regarding its proposed overtures about reform; NEXT Church has held multiple listening sessions. In a similar fashion, Hay said the 2016 GA will build in more time for conversations that will be separate from time set for consideration of business items. He said the goal is to schedule time every morning during plenary sessions.       The details are not available yet, but Hay said he knows it will be time consuming, but said “I believe if we frontload these conversations” it will help business move smoothly.
6. They Way Forward. Hay noted that there are many new things facing this assembly: a new stated clerk; “profound changes” in the Presbyterian Mission Agency; proposals to consider combining the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly; Foothills Presbytery’s overtures on what it means to have a Reformed polity. This is diverse business, Hay said, but all of these about the same concern: Who are we and who are we called to be? He said these items need to be considered together, so have been assigned to the same, newly created committee called The Way Forward in hopes that this committee will “help us think through the big picture with these items of business.” Hay said it be the largest committee (70 people) and will start its work early on Friday at 2 p.m. (the full assembly does not start until 11 a.m. on Saturday), similar with what was done with the Peace, Unity and Purity Committee. Hay said committee assignments for commissioners and advisory delegates should be announced by late February.