Friends,

Many of you have probably heard me say there are three things that make us unique as Presbyterians. We are constitutional, connected, and representative. There is no place where these attributes are more obvious than our General Assembly meetings that happen every two years. The General Assembly is the highest council of our church and makes key decisions that impact all levels of our denomination. We must remember, however, that it is comprised of individuals, half ministers and half elders, from every corner of our denomination.

The 225th General Assembly kicks off this month with the theme “From Lament to Hope.” Our last General Assembly was held online during the height of the pandemic and much of the work presented there was delayed, unless essential, until the gathering this year. There is a lot of work to do and important issues to discuss.

The work of the GA 225 will begin with staggered, in person committee meetings. Our four elected commissioners will travel to Louisville for their committee assignments. The main plenary sessions will begin July 5th and everyone is invited to watch these sessions online. I encourage all of you to check out the website ga-pcusa.org and signup for the GA225 newsletter. It is amazing and inspiring to watch our denomination at work.

Together, we can do more,

Rev. Eric Heinekamp, Transformational General Presbytery and Stated Clerk

Meet the Candidates at June 9 webinar:

Josefina Ahumada — Commissioned ruling elder, moderator, and pulpit supply at Papago United Presbyterian Church in Sells, Arizona, on the Tohono O’Odham Reservation in the Presbytery de Cristo. Her home church is Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona.

and

Marilyn McKelvey Tucker-Marek — Teaching elder, pastor of Forsyth Presbyterian Church in Forsyth, Georgia, and pastor of the UKirk campus ministry at the Mercer University campus in Macon, Georgia, in the Flint River Presbytery.

Shavon C. Starling-Louis — Teaching elder and pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Presbytery of Charlotte.

and

Ruth Faith Santana-Grace — Teaching elder and executive presbyter in the Presbytery of Philadelphia.

READ MORE

Links for Livestreaming:

June 18: Rev. Gregory Bentley, GA 224 Co-Moderator

June 19: Special Juneteenth Observation Service. Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, Stated Clerk, PC(USA)

July 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: See below for worship leaders and texts

MORE INFORMATION

Plenary sessions will be live streamed - All are invited to watch the action

A rough plenary schedule will be available following committee sessions.

Final Report from Special Committee on Racism Truth and Reconciliation features 11 recommendations to the assembly

International Engagements Committee will wrestle with overtures addressing world-stage issues from Congo to Syria

'Addressing Violence in the USA' committee to examine links between guns, inequality, advocacy

Environmental Justice Committee addresses 11 overtures, most dealing with divestment, environmental policy, and a green future.

Financial Resources Committee will respond to the recommendation from the Special Committee on Per-Capita Based Funding and National Church Financial Sustainability: "we strongly urge the General Assembly to take two actions: 1) form a commission to unify our national church (PMA and OGA) into one agency with a unified mission, purpose, and program; and 2) form a funding development team to experiment with new funding models" (FIN-10)

Financial Resources (FIN-12 & 13) also considers the recommended increases in per capita rates for 2023 & 2024.

READ Outlook national reporter Leslie Scanlon's summary report on GA Highlights.

Blackhawk Presbytery is grateful for our four commissioners who have committed their time, energy and imagination to fulfilling their call to service.

Please pray for them - for wisdom, endurance, safe travel to Louisville, and a stable internet connection.

Ruling Elder Michael Rugh (Ridgefield Crystal Lake) - serving on the Health, Safety & Benefits committee

Teaching Elder Christina Berry (Sterling First) - serving on the Immigration committee

Ruling Elder Annabell Williams-Blegen (Elmira United) - serving as Vice Moderator of the Standing Rules of the General Assembly committee and on the Business Referral committee 

Teaching Elder John Dillon (Ridgefield Crystal Lake) - serving on the International Engagement committee

As with many of the overtures under consideration this summer, this was carried over from 2020's all-virtual (height of COVID) General Assembly when assembly business precluded most overtures. 

Originally conceived of and written by Rev. Spencer Lawrence (HR) and Rev. David Terrinoni (LaRose), the proposal has been endorsed the Presbyterian Mission Agency. The Office of Theology and Worship has already begun with plans to move ahead.

PLEASE SEE THE OVERTURE

ENV-07: On Fossil Fuel Divestment (carried over from 2020)

ENV-08: On Declaring the Time Is Now to “Cherish Creation, Cut Carbon, and Speak Up”

MORE INFORMATION