by Barbara Bundick
On June 18, 2016, commissioners, advisory delegates, overture advocates, mid-council staff, exhibitors, volunteers and the whole panoply of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), will gather in Portland, Oregon, for the 222nd General Assembly. For the next week they will pray, argue, cry, celebrate, learn, make new friends, sleep (if they’re lucky) and be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. On June 25, they will all go home – to churches and presbyteries with anything and everything BUT the General Assembly on their minds.
As one former GA commissioner said: “Immediately after returning from GA there was a bit of letdown. GA was so incredible, so stimulating, so inspirational that returning home to regular old routine was, well, boring.”
Presbyteries and congregations can help their commissioners and other GA supporters after they return by following a few simple steps — all recommended by former GA commissioners:
- Offer commissioners a sounding board and a debriefing. Ask them:
- What’s next?
- What did you learn?
- How did the experience change you?
- How will you continue the momentum?
- Help commissioners explain their experience to local congregations by educating congregations about the process:
- How commissioners are elected.
- How overtures travel from sessions to presbyteries to the General Assembly.
- How overture and other items are assigned to committees.
- How commissioners are randomly assigned to committees.
- What committees do.
- What happens in the plenary.
- What determines when presbyteries vote on changes and when they don’t.
- Include lots of pictures, so people at home can see the process.
- Congregations can invite commissioners to share their experiences — and not just the headline items. Ask them to share:
- Their experience worshipping with a local church.
- Their committee activity and other committee members.
- The most difficult vote they cast.
- The most fun event they attended.
- A new friend they met at GA.
- How they were welcomed and supported by the host presbytery.
In short, serving at a General Assembly can be a life-changing experience. Invite your commissioners to change your life by sharing how the General Assembly changed their lives.
BARBARA BUNDICK the stated clerk of the Presbytery of Chicago, a position she has held for 10 years. Before then, she served in a variety of churches as a pastor and an interim pastor. She is married to Mark, and lives in Woodstock
