General Assembly Business Update

The first day of GA is always a long one. With everything from getting checked in to orientation meetings to the first business meeting all the way to the opening worship service where the new Moderator is installed in the evening. It’s a proper 12 hour day. For people like Gabe and me who skew toward introvert (sometimes strongly) it can get overwhelming. With all the things to prep for, the places to be and the mass of people, both familiar and new, we were tired by the end!

The business meeting was notable for one main reason, its brevity. We opened with the moderator of the 194th GA (last year’s) Rev. Jhony Montaño from the Cauca Valley presbytery. We were brought to order and began. I should say here there are 2 things that must happen in the first meeting, Elect the new moderator and vice moderator, and have time for communications. The communication time is usually the one that gives us the most anxiety. Sure we have our preferences for the new moderator and must take the time to listen to some campaign speeches, but we know that’s coming. Communications time, on the other hand, is an open book and we never really know what will happen. Any commissioner can bring any resolution to the floor for anything they want or their presbytery wants. These can range widely. Anything from a proposed change to the Confession of Faith, to a resolution to decry gun violence, to a resolution asking presbyteries to remember to be faithful. It’s really anybody’s guess. However, what makes that time notable this year was it’s silence. There wasn’t a single new resolution submitted. Nothing! For those that have never been here, the silence seems to be more upsetting to the regulars than anything else. In some things silence is golden, here it. is. frightening. It feels like people are preparing something sneaky. I’m not sure that is the case this year though.

I’m not sure what it is about this year. I’m not sure if it’s the location, the host presbytery, or if everybody who normally comes to these to insert themselves just wanted a year off, but even the surrounding conversations during the breaks feel nice. I don’t think I’ve seen very many small cliques and cohorts sitting around talking in hushed tones like they’re planning a bank robbery. Hopefully, whatever the reason may be, we can take the extra time to renew our relationships to one another and remember our true goal. We are a church founded on sharing the gospel of Christ as wide as possible, and teaching our children the story of our God and his salvation. The central theme of this GA is found in Psalm 78:3-4, “things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done.” Let us pray we live up to that standard.

We did choose a new Moderator. The nominations were Rev. Daniel Barclay from Grace Presbytery, and Rev. Kim Moore from Nashville Presbytery. These are both people I know. Daniel has been the pastor at Gardendale for a long time now and Kim has done many thing including missionary work in Guatemala and Haiti. After the vote, Rev. Daniel Barclay was named moderator and after a second vote Rev. Kim Moore was named the vice Moderator. May they remember the nature of the office is to deal fairly with all Cumberlands across the globe no matter their difference. Let us pray they remember that to be a Moderator is to lead in unity and not division. Let us pray their only agenda is to help further the cause of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, all Cumberland Presbyterians, not a subset they agree with. may we get back to sharing the good news, gospel of Christ.

More thoughts on “the gospel” tomorrow.

Grace and peace to you all,

General Assembly Overview

The 195th General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is set to take place in Rogers, AR, June 15-19. This year I will be going but I’ll just be Gabe’s chauffer and not a commissioner. Gabe is the youth advisory delegate (YAD) for Robert Donnell Presbytery, that makes me a YAD dad this year. I have been to GA pretty regularly over the past few years, and several of those were filled with contention, hurt feelings, and infighting. While nothing was resolved perfectly for anyone in those cases, the church has moved on a little bit from the continued disagreements of the recent past to some other pressing issues. The main issue being the closing of Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS) this year on July 31. There will be a great deal of discussion around what our next steps are for educating future ministers if the CP church. There may also be a few discussions around some ongoing Judicial issues between Presbyteries and Synods. Overall though, this meeting seems set-up to be one of the more peaceful GAs in recent memory. I can’t say how greatful I will be for that.

One of the main reasons I am glad for this possibility, and the reason I enjoy going so often, is that I know so many CP ministers and members that it feels like a reunion of sorts to attend. I am hoping that during a year that appears to offer less work and more free time that those of us there will be able to renew any bonds of family and friendship that have been strained in recent years. If the CP church has any unique quality that has kept us grounded all these years it is our collective, close knit connections. We are small, but unified, at least that was true. I hope and pray we can get back to those foundational understandings of ourselves.

It won’t just be Gabe and me that will be there. I know Renee Brown will be there with the Worship Adventure crew. Many other friends of this church will be in attendance too. It will be nice to reconnect in person even if we do have to go all the way to the Ozarks to do so. Pray for us in our travels and for peace among the commissioners and those in attendance. May God bless the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and this, the 195th General Assembly.

Keep coming back to this page throughout the summer. I will be updating this like a travel blog with all the things I have on my calendar. I be in Arkansas this week. A couple of trips to Memphis are upcoming, and it will culminate with my big trip to Bulgaria/Greece at the beginning of September.

I hope to see you all soon.