Following worship, the first substantive matter the 2020 General Assembly took up June 26 addressed, essentially, the scope of the business this General Assembly will consider: whether to try to do more on more subjects, or focus more intensely on fewer matters related to COVID-19, racism and social justice. On the table was a a motion to reconsider Item 01-04 — the list of business that this General Assembly will consider, and what it will refer to the General Assembly in 2022. That motion to reconsider ultimately failed – with commissioners voting it down 377-97 – but the discussion on it reflected the intensity of views some commissioners bring to this assembly on how to address matters of race and social justice forcefully, given a truncated virtual assembly. The Bible says “there is a time under heaven for everything, but this is not the time for this discussion,” said commissioner Kamal Hassan, a minister from the Presbytery of San Francisco. “We have other critical … [Read more...]

For the first time in General Assembly history, there are more white women than any other group serving as commissioners. The 224th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has 44%, in fact, with white men composing 35% of commissioners. The remaining thirty percent are Black women (5.6%) and Black men (3.8%), followed by Asian men (3.4%) and Latina men (1.6%) and Latina women (1.4%). The 478 commissioners fall into a wide age bracket: 21-82 years of age. The average age is 59. They are connecting across six time zones, from Alaska to the Atlantic. Most (55%) are connecting from the Eastern time zone. The time zone spread for attendees is 12 hours — ranging from Hawaii to Central Africa and Europe. Of the 251 teaching elder commissioners (or TECs), the majority are white women and men, followed by Asian men, Black men, Black women, and Latina men and women. The average age of TECs is 53 years old; the youngest is 28, and the oldest 75. They are live-streaming … [Read more...]

Before going about the business of the 224th General Assembly, on Friday, June 26, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. EDT, commissioners, advisory delegates and observers watching from home were called to a time of worship.  Co-moderators of the 223rd General Assembly, Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and Cindy Kohlmann, led the service as their final contribution to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in this official capacity.  Using the assembly’s theme, “From Lament to Hope,” the service delved deeply into the suffering of so many in this particular time and place, while uplifting the power of the Holy Spirit to transform hurting lives and unjust systems.  Particularly noting the grief and loss around both the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racism in the United States, the service was a time of recognizing collective brokenness while affirming God’s ability to restore and resurrect. (Click here for the bulletin.)   Hymn. Written by Mark Miller and Adam Tice in response to the murder of … [Read more...]

In the online prayer room of the 224th  General Assembly, there is a “prayer wall” – what some might liken to a virtual Wailing Wall – where prayers are written, folded and tucked into imaginary stones. What is written on the hearts of these authors is being transcribed into words for others to read, to hear and to pray together. Lament is expressed for what is lost and what is being revealed.  There are deep-down cries of repentance for failure to walk humbly with God and with those of a different tribe, whether that tribe is one of color, sexual orientation, differing abilities or distant places. There is lament for unknowingly, or knowingly, being a part of systematic and institutional evil, a construct of current society. A plea for transformation is central to these prayers. A small group from the GA Bible study addressed the anatomy of lament in their prayer: “Re-form us, O God … move inside of us. Change us, from the inside out, through your Word and Spirit. … Help us not … [Read more...]

Brian Johnson never dreamed of being a commissioner to the General Assembly. As a cradle Presbyterian, Johnson served in almost every role at his church in his small hometown of Minden, Nebraska. A few years ago he moved out into the country, tried to retire as a contractor and joined First Presbyterian Church of Hastings. With some free time in his semi-retirement, he jumped right in to volunteer service at his new church, joining the Christian education committee and doing some small projects around the church — including building a beautiful nametag holder when the church started using nametags. In 2018, the nominating committee of his new church asked him to join the session and the congregation affirmed his call. Johnson took that call very seriously and added more committee work to his call to serve. He also started attending presbytery meetings and studying the work of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He also found time to help lead a mission trip to the Pine Ridge … [Read more...]