Off to the West Coast

June is a big month for our denomination! Commissioners and advisory delegates from all 171 PC(USA) presbyteries, along with other participants and observers from around the world, will converge on the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland for celebrations, deliberations, and inspirations in support of the denomination’s biennial gathering. Hosted by the Presbytery of the Cascades and united under the theme “The Hope in Our Calling,” from Ephesians 1:18, the General Assembly will include rich worship services, the election of the Moderator, action on a plethora of overtures, and much more. This year’s GA will consider the nomination and election of a Stated Clerk of the General Assembly to serve, in the words of the current job description, as chief ecclesiastical officer of the denomination to succeed Gradye Parsons, who is not standing for another term. The nominating committee is presenting The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson as candidate. Dr. Nelson currently serves as Director of the PC(USA) Office of Public Witness (OPW) in Washington, DC. The Office of Public Witness is a prophetic office of the denomination and implements the social justice agenda of the General Assembly through advocacy with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. The Rev. David M. Baker, stated clerk and director of communications for the Presbytery of Tampa Bay, is also standing for the office. The election will be held June 24. A new moderator of the GA will also be elected. Standing are Jan Edmiston and Denise Anderson, and David Parker and Adan Mairena (standing for co-moderators). You can follow all the business of GA at http://www.pcusa.org/events/24275/222nd-general-assembly-2016/. Plenary sessions will be live-streamed. Please keep the GA and commissioners in your prayers!