PCI General Assembly
The General Assembly
Belfast, 1st - 4th June, 2009
The 2009 General Assembly meets in Church House, Belfast on the evening of Monday, 1st June with the installation of the Moderator, and continues through three further days to an expected conclusion on Thursday afternoon.
It's not just another meeting of the General Assembly but a meeting of the 2009 Assembly with its unique membership of about 1200 delegates drawn from every Presbyterian congregation in Ireland and with its own issues to discuss and decisions to take.
Amid the formality of the opening session with its parade of former Moderators and invited guests from civic society, the office of Moderator will be handed on from Rev. Dr. Donald Patton to Rev. Stafford Carson. Each will address the Assembly - one reflecting on what has been while the other looks forward to the challenge ahead.
"Passion for Christ, Compassion for people" is Mr. Carson's theme which he will promote through his year of office as he fulfils his pastoral and representative role as "first among equals."
The business sessions of the Assembly begin onTuesday morning. Sixteen Boards and commissions will report on their work over the following six morning and afternoon sessions with the option of meeting on into the last evening.
All sessions of the Assembly (apart from the Private Session on Thursday afternoon) including the opening session, the Moderator's Rally and Presbyterians Talk, are open to the public. No tickets are required.
Business at the Assembly
Clerk of Assembly Rev. Dr. Donald Watts is on record as saying that the last six months have been among the most difficult in the recent history of the Presbyterian Church as it has dealt with events surrounding the Presbyterian Mutual Society.
The Church's response to the crisis at the PMS will be reported to the Assembly by the General Board and the Moderator's Advisory Committee on Tuesday afternoon (4.00pm). Members of Assembly will have the opportunity to debate how the Church has handled the matter but with no executive or administrative authority over the Society, its affairs are unlikely to be discussed in detail.
The General Board report continues on Wednesday morning (9.30am) with the Church and Society Committee giving its response to the report of the Consultative Group on the Past before the Church House Panel reports on progress on the redevelopment of the Fisherwick Place headquarters. (11.00am).
On Wednesday afternoon business moves on to discuss Youth and Children's Ministry and Mission in Ireland which will report on the outcome of Presbytery mission planning.
On Thursday morning Education will be the main topic for discussion. Transfer arrangements have been high on the Board's agenda this year but the main focus for this debate will be about the future role of the Church in the educational policy formation and administration.
In the final session of the Assembly on Thursday afternoon the Board of Christian Training will present 24 students to be accepted by the Assembly as candidates for the Presbyterian ministry.
Worship at the Assembly
As well as the business that must be transacted at the Assembly there has always been a focus on worship and this year is no exception.
The incoming Moderator plans the lunchtime worship and the Moderator's Rally and has invited his longstanding friend Rev. Dr. Philip Ryken, minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, to give the lunchtime talks (Wednesday and Thursday 12.15pm) and preach at the Rally which begins at 7.45pm on Wednesday evening.
Dr. Ryken is well known for his many books covering a wide range of topics in the area of expository biblical commentary and comment on practical Christian lifestyle. Tenth Presbyterian is right in the heart of Philadelphia and has a membership of around 1500 with a ministerial team of 12 including Rev. Paul Tripp who spoke at the Moderator's Rally two years ago.
In an event which Mr. Carson hopes will be "inspirational and upbeat, enthusing and exciting", the Moderator's Rally will be focused on praise, preaching and prayer, identified as the characteristics that were at the heart of the 1859 Revival. However, it is not planned as an evening to relive history, but together with a choir comprising of members of First Portadown, Carnmoney and Kells and some individual members of each congregation taking part, will apply Christian faith to the world of today.
SPUD
The voice of the next generation will be clearly heard at this year's Assembly. In January there was a Youth Assembly with two nominees between the ages of 15 and 25 from every Presbyterian Church in Ireland invited to attend. There, a range of issues were discussed in the areas of Mission in Ireland, Mission Overseas, Social Witness and Youth and Children's Ministry and topics of concern to delegates identified.
This large group appointed 30 of their colleagues to meet a few weeks later and they drafted youth resolutions which will be presented by them during the debates of the relevant Boards for the General Assembly to discuss and vote on.
Remembering Calvin and 1859 Revival
Two anniversaries will be marked at the Assembly. It's 150 years since a revival like no other swept across Ireland. Tens of thousands professed their faith in God and committed to a life of Christian discipleship through what has become known as the 1859 Revival. The Presbyterian General Assembly of the day played its part in encouraging the Revival with many of today's congregations being established at that time. Already the anniversary has been marked by the "Awake" programme, which called the whole Church to a time of prayer during Lent, and on Tuesday morning outgoing Moderator Dr. Donald Patton will present a short reflection on the Revival.
This year also marks 500 years since the birth of John Calvin, a key architect of the Reformation and one of the theologians at the heart of establishing the Reformed faith. While the Assembly will not travel to Geneva Rev. Professor Laurence Kirkpatrick will take us there, in mind if not body, through an exhibition and a talk entitled "Calvin Remembered" at 2.00pm on Thursday afternoon.
Presbyterians Talk: A Healthy Church, A Caring Community
An Assembly innovation of recent years is the Presbyterian Talk event on Tuesday night at 7.30pm. This year the focus is on health and the keynote speaker will be the Minister of Health, Mr. Michael McGimpsey.
After his address there will short responses on various issues including mental health, carers, closure of residential homes and hospital services.
Then the floor will be open for a panel discussion and question time when the audience will get their opportunity to put forward their views on what government should be doing and what role the church should be fulfilling in this most vital of areas.
Doors open at 6.30pm and the evening is open to everyone.
Youth Night and Kids' Praise Party
Away from the more formal events of Assembly week, Youth Night and the Kids' Praise Party are full of both faith and fun.
The Kid's Praise Party for primary school aged children is as close to a beach party as you can get indoors. It's all happening in Carnmoney Presbyterian Church at 3.00pm on Saturday, 6th June.
There will be songs and games and puppets and just about anything that makes for a fun afternoon for young children and their leaders. The guest speaker is Bob Hartman, an internationally renowned storyteller who made a big impact at the Building Blocks conference two years ago.
After fun with the kids it's back to Church House in the evening for Youth Night which begins at 7.45pm. There's no less fun than in the afternoon, it's just gearing for an older teenage audience with guest speaker Andy Carroll and worship lead by Rick Hill and his band.
Tickets are needed for both events and are available from the Youth and Children's Office at Church House.
Assembly Poster Downloads
Assembly Business Download a copy of the poster |
Assembly Worship Download a copy of the poster |
Presbyterians Talk Download a copy of the Poster |
© Presbyterian Church in Ireland. info@presbyterianireland.org Information correct at time of upload.