Every two years, the denomination of which Southern Heights Presbyterian Church is a member holds its national denominational gathering. This gathering, called General Assembly, is part family reunion (as Presbyterians from all over the nation gather in one place...it really is amazing to go and be a part of it and see people from around the country, some whom you haven’t seen for years, some whom you’ve never met, and feel an incredible connection to them), part intense worship (worship is held everyday, sometimes more than once, and the opening worship service (held on the first day of business) in particular is powerful and amazing), and part business meeting as the denomination comes together to discern the direction, mission, ministry, and stance of the larger church in numerous ways.

It is an amazing and wonderful experience, one which I hope that every Presbyterian has the opportunity to participate in either as commissioner (voting delegate), advisory delegate, staff, advocate, or observer.

As the General Assembly convenes, it is important to recognize and remember that this is not some distant body that is making pronouncements and decisions from afar and delivering them from on high, but it is the gathered body of the whole denomination discerning God’s will for the denomination together. We are a denomination that is both connectional and representative, and this is (hopefully) represented well in the way that things “go down” at General Assembly, from the way that overtures (items of business) are brought to the floor for discussion and the way that the business itself is conducted (I will defend to my dying day that the Holy Spirit can speak to us through our use of Parliamentary Procedure, if we allow it).

It is in that understanding of what happens at General Assembly that I offer my prayer for GA, which convenes its 221st session this weekend in Detroit.

I Pray:

That the body will be led to choose the moderator and vice-moderator to lead and guide and moderate the work of the General Assembly during this next week and also to be a representative and ambassador of the larger church over the next two years. (For more information on the three candidates who are standing for Moderator, please see Bruce Reyes-Chow’s (moderator of the 218th General Assembly) 10 questions of the moderator candidates.
That the commissioners and advisory delegates may all prayerfully discern all the decisions (difficult and easy...and there are plenty of both!!) that lay before them this week, and that they may seek God’s will above their own.
That the discussions, deliberations, and debates may be civil and helpful in every way.
That the members of the larger church remember that the General Assembly is not some distant body, but that we are all a part of the General Assembly of the PC(USA), and that the people who have gathered are our representatives in the voting of the business of the General Assembly. (And that we remember that no vote that changes the Book of Order is final until is passes a majority of the Presbyteries).
That we may hold fast to the idea of the Peace, Purity, and Unity of the church, and seek ways to work and live together in community even when we disagree on decisions that are made.
That the staff and volunteers of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Office of the General Assembly, Committee on Local Arrangements, and all the other various committees and organizations that I have not mentioned that are working throughout this week be given strength, energy and stamina...and that they have a chance to rest and renew when this is all over. (Trust me, this is huge! I worked as very junior staff at two General Assemblies (2001 and 2002), and the staff and volunteers that make this huge event run are the unsung heroes of GA. If you’re there this week, be sure to say “Thank you”. It means a whole lot!)

May these this all be my prayer.

May the God of Grace be with the gathered manifestation of the PC(USA) in Detroit this week.

Amen.

PS. For anyone interested in the business facing General Assembly this week, you can check out PCBiz (or the iOS app with the same name!), the official clearinghouse for all information regarding the business of the assembly (including votes!) There’s also primers on many of the “big” issues (Divestment, Middle East, Synods, Marriage, etc) that can be found here. Please remember, though, that there are several other important items being discussed that don't have the "wow" factor that has drawn attention to the ones listed in the primers.

PPS. If you really want to geek out, you can check out the livestream of the worship services and plenary sessions.

PPPS. You can also talk to me about the business before the assembly. I’d love to chat about the various items of business with you!!!

**Thoughts published here are mine and mine alone, and may or may not represent the thoughts or opinions of Southern Heights Presbyterian Church, Homestead Presbytery, Synod of Lakes and Prairies, or the Presbyterian Church (USA)**

**Comments will be moderated for civility. Remember to discuss ideas, and not people...and never type anything here that you wouldn't say to your grandmother**

Every year, it is the responsibility of the local church to provide training for those who are called to serve as officers on the boards of the church. This training is to provide a framework of understanding of the ministries of those offices and boards, and to set us all in the right direction as we seek to serve our churches.
This training varies widely from church to church, ranging from cursory (“Here, read the Book of Order”) to intense (multiple weeks of several hour long lectures detailing the work of the church). Sometimes, a church doesn’t feel like it has the resources available to provide adequate training for its officers, and so does nothing at all.

Out of a desire to provide in depth, yet not cumbersome or boring, training for our officers, four churches from the area partnered together to sponsor a joint training event, a day where we could come together to talk about what it means to serve the church through the ministries of Session and Deacons, and discuss ways and means to go about it. Along the way, leadership from these four churches (SHPC, Fourth-Lincoln, Eastridge, and First-Nebraska City) were joined in the planning by leadership from several other churches (including Good Shepherd and Heritage) and Homestead Presbytery as we worked together to provide a quality training event that would enrich and embolden those who were called to serve in these specific ways.
And so, on January 11th, over 85 Deacons, Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders from around Homestead Presbytery (with some additional leadership from West Virginia!) came together at Southern Heights for the First Annual Homestead Presbytery Officer Training.
The day was a great celebration of ministry and community, as we gathered around tables, discussed and discerned how God was calling us to serve our individual churches through the ministries and the work of our offices.

This event, I believe, is a prime example of exactly what a Presbytery is all about.
Most often, when we think about “Presbytery”, we think about the quarterly meetings of commissioners who gather together to debate and discuss and vote on business and polity matters. Frequently, when we think about “Presbytery”, we think about the staff and the structure of our polity.
But, a Presbytery is more than meetings and committees. It is more than staff and polity.
A Presbytery is people.
More specifically, a Presbytery is the collection of people, as represented by the individual Presbyterian churches in a region, who all come together to share in a common, collaborative ministry. A ministry that we cannot accomplish on our own, but that we can work together to build and create into something amazing in our area.
A ministry that manifests itself in ways like a joint training event, where officers from churches across the region are strengthened in their ability to engage in ministry in their own community. A ministry that manifests itself in ways like a commonly held camp, where children, youth, and even adults, can come together to learn and grow in faith, love, and knowledge of God. A ministry that manifests itself in ways like financial and structural support of churches of all sizes, in whatever situation they find themselves in, so that they can be a great witness to Christ’s love in their own unique and amazing ways. A ministry that manifests itself in the building up and supporting of the work and the ministries of individual churches.

I am proud to be a part of a church structure which allows for, and encourages, this kind of shared ministry. I am honored to be able to work in collaboration with our sisters and brothers across the Presbytery to accomplish great things. And I am excited for the collective support that we give to the work of the Presbytery and for the collective support that engages and encourages us in the things that we are doing here at Southern Heights.

**Comments will be moderated for civility. Remember to discuss ideas, and not people...and never type anything here that you wouldn't say to your grandmother**

A Prayer for General Assembly

Thoughts on a Presbytery