Mapping the financial future of the PC(USA) tops GA224 agenda: Docket also includes elections, social justice march, Bible study, program about youth empowerment

Posted June 10, 2020 

By Rick Jones | Office of the General Assembly   

LOUISVILLE _ When staff began planning for the 224th General Assembly (2020) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), they didn’t expect to be preparing for a scaled-down, three-day event to be held online only. Much goes into organizing conference space, hotel contracts, and community events, and things were moving like clockwork for the gathering that was scheduled for Baltimore.

Years of preparation and agreements went out the window when the COVID-19 virus put a hold on everything. Over the past three-and-a-half months, organizers and leaders in the Office of the General Assembly have completely reorganized the event, moving to an online assembly gathering and focusing on a smaller, specific agenda.

The 224th General Assembly (2020) will be held June 19, 26, and 27. The proposed agenda seeks to deal with critical business to keep the PC(USA) moving forward, while referring most business items to the 225th General Assembly (2022).

Click below to find an overview of events and plenary discussions planned during the General Assembly.

Three sets of Co-Moderator candidates make their pitches:

Online election during the 224th General Assembly is set for 8 p.m. Friday, June 19

Posted June 11, 2020 

By Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service   

LOUISVILLE _ Candidates for Co-Moderators of the 224th General Assembly (2020): (top to bottom) Sandra Hedrick & Moon Lee, Elona Street-Stewart & Gregory Bentley, and Marie Mainard O’Connell & Arthur Fullerton

Vision, technology and time management skills and, of course, leadership in a time of pandemic and protesting were among the skill sets examined Wednesday during a Presbyterian Outlook forum starring the three sets of candidates for Co-Moderator of the 224th General Assembly — Moon Lee and the Rev. Sandra Hedrickthe Rev. Greg Bentley and Elona Street-Stewart, and Arthur Fullerton and the Rev. Marie Mainard O’Connell.

Commissioners will elect the new co-moderators during the opening night of the online assembly June 19. Click on an option below to watch beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. The assembly’s initial plenary begins at 7 p.m.

Updated information about the 224th PC(USA) General Assembly may be found below.

The site includes:

Links to the docket and meeting materials related to the plenary sessions scheduled at 7 p.m. Friday, June 19 then again from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 26, and from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27.

Live stream links to watch the plenary sessions, including election of the co-moderators at 8 p.m. Friday, June 19, and election of the Stated Clerk at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 27

Information about the Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington. A planned march in Washington, D.C. was sidelined by the COVID-19 pandemic, so organizers are taking the campaign digital with moral and religious leaders, advocates and others addressing systemic racism, poverty, ecological devastation, militarism and more. The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), will be among those speaking.

Information about a special program at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 to highlight the work of Youth Rising Coalition. Join community and faith leaders who stand alongside youth – including those Baltimore area youth to be featured during this program – who have the ideas, talent and dreams for their future but are often times overlooked and have undeveloped talents.

As many as 504 commissioners and 180 advisory delegates will take part in GA224. With the addition of corresponding members, approximately 1,000 people will participate in the online assembly.  These participants include the commissioners elected by the Presbytery of Lake Michigan: teaching elders – David Schell (Benton Harbor – Fairplain) and Chrissy Westbury (Kalamazoo – First); ruling elders – Leslie Gilreath (Benton Harbor – Fairplain) and Tom Wilcox (Grand Rapids – North Park); and Young Adult Advisory Delegate Jillian Goshorn (Niles – First). Please hold all the GA224 participants in prayer during this historic event.