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Following the opening session of the General Assembly on Monday evening with addresses by the outgoing and incoming Moderators, Tuesday began with Assembly Communion Service held in May Street Church at 9.30am, business sessions beginning at 11.00am in the Assembly Hall.
This may have been the last time that Assembly Communion Service will be held in May Street since in one of the first items in the report of the Business Board, the Assembly agreed to move the service to the Assembly Hall next year. And next year's Assembly will meet a week later in 2002 so that it does not clash with the public holiday declared for June 3 & 4. This will be the first time since 1953, Coronation year, that it has not met during its traditional date of the first week in June.
This year a feature of the first session of business was the welcoming of visiting delegates to the Assembly which this year included Rt Rev John Miller, Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Rev Shawish Nyawelo Kir, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of the Sudan and Rev Dr Masqsood Kamil, Executive Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Pakistan
Main interest on day one however focused on the report of the Nomination Board. With the present Clerk and General Secretary, Dr Sam Hutchinson due to retire in 2003 the Assembly was asked to appoint a Clerk Designate to 'shadow' the present Clerk until that time before taking over the role. Two names, Dr Donald Watts and Rev Wilfred Orr were proposed and by a card vote the Assembly delegates appointed Donad Watts to the position.
Another appointment ratified by the Assembly was the appointment of Rev Uel Marrs as successor to Rev Terry McMullan who retires as Overseas secretary next year.
The day finished with the report of the Youth Board and the launch of the 'Preparing Youth for Peace Programme.' The main objective of this is to train Presbyterian youth leaders to deliver effective reconciliation programmes that envision, motivate and enable Presbyterian communities to actively engage in positive community relations.
For further information visit the General Assembly section
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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