In discussing these and other issues, the Church has introduced a number of significant changes this year to the times that it meets and its membership, to make the Assembly more accessible.
Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rev. Trevor Gribben said, “The changes are not cosmetic, but a genuine attempt to make our debates and decision-making more accessible to those entitled to attend, especially for church elders who have other commitments during the day, which is why we have introduced later evening sittings.
“Another significant change means that for the first time churches can send an additional member of their congregation, aged 30 or under, to sit and deliberate. As we discuss major issues facing both the Church and society, we hope these changes will enable more people to come and younger voices to be heard,” he said.
The General Assembly is the principal decision-making body of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland. From its oldest congregation in Ballycarry in County Antrim to its newest in Donabate in County Dublin established nearly 400 years later in 2010, around 1,000 ministers and elders from the Church’s 500-plus congregations across Ireland will come together for a week of fellowship, worship, prayer, Bible study, celebration and debate.
Monday’s Opening Night will see invited civic dignitaries and corresponding church representatives from denominations at home and overseas witness the formal election and installation of Rev. Dr. Charles McMullen, minister of West Church in Bangor, County Down, as the new Moderator of the General Assembly.
Rev. Trevor Gribben explained that business before the Assembly is contained in the ‘Blue Book’, which this year includes reports from the Church’s 124 councils, committees, panels and task groups, which have led to around 100 resolutions.
“Decisions that we take next week will set the direction for the life and ministry of the Church over the coming year and beyond, and this year we have some significant reports and resolutions. The report on Climate Change, for example, develops a biblical position on its causes and effects while setting out seven principles of being good stewards of God’s creation. It also looks at what practical action and lifestyle choices can be made by churches and our members to be good stewards,” Mr. Gribben said.
“Along with a range of in house and routine business, we will also discuss a major report on euthanasia and assisted suicide, asking the General Assembly to strongly oppose the introduction of either, while calling on governments to ensure the adequate resourcing of research and delivery of palliative care.”
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The Clerk of the General Assembly said that it will also discuss education in Northern Ireland, in particular the low morale and sense of disillusionment felt amongst school governors, principals and teachers caused by the ongoing political uncertainty and financial situation. The ongoing political stagnation in Northern Ireland will feature, as will the new generic model for hospital chaplaincy in Northern Ireland, which is being proposed by some health trusts. Members will also discuss the recent referendum on abortion in the Republic of Ireland.
Trevor Gribben also said that a number of doctrinal papers will be brought to the Assembly, including one on the Church’s participation in multi-faith events. PCI’s memberships of inter-church groups will also be discussed, the amalgamations of some congregations and its relationship with other denominations, including the Church of Scotland.
The role that Religious Education plays in the spiritual, moral and intellectual development of children and young people will also be on the agenda, as will the under provision of services for young people with a learning disability after they are 19.
“As part of society and an integral part of community life in our cities, towns and villages across Ireland, our churches work and witness in a changing and more secular society. This obviously has its challenges and we will discuss and pray about many of them next week,” explained Mr. Gribben. “The local congregation is the key and the vital mission unit of PCI, where ordinary Christians share the Good News of Jesus Christ with their neighbours, in both word and deed.
“Our situation in this changing world and the mission of our Church is simply encapsulated in one of the reports before us next week. Comments by one observer summed it up in just in four simple words: ‘Difficult task - Active hope’. We need to accept and manage both realities, built first and foremost in the hope that we have in Jesus Christ and as beacons of His light.”
Members of the public are welcome to attend the three worship services at 11.45am on Tuesday, which includes Communion, 12.15pm on Wednesday and 2.45pm on Thursday. Wednesday also sees an Evening Celebration of public praise and worship in the Assembly Hall that begins at 7.45pm, which is open to all.
Dr. McMullen, will lead the service, which is themed ‘Building Relationships’. The speaker will be the developer of the popular Christianity Explored course, the Rev Rico Tice, senior minister (evangelism) at All Souls, Langham Place in London.
Dr. McMullen’s installation service is open to the public and will be broadcast live on BBC Radio Ulster 1341 Medium Wave from 7pm. The installation and most of the other public sessions will be streamed live via this website.
You can also follow a live Twitter feed @pciassembly using the hashtag #PCIGA18 for all public sessions. For all news stories, see the news section. Business commences at 10.30 am on Tuesday. Proceedings will close on Friday, 8th June at 1.30pm with the vast majority of our business open to the public.
Photos & images: (1) Rev. Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly and General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (2) David McBurney and Liam McDonagh get the platform ready with the 1905 Moderator's Chair (3) Front cover of Monday's Order of Service.
For information and resources about this year's General Assembly: The Blue Book, individual reports, supplementary reports, daily business, minutes, previews and reviews of each day's proceedings, visit our General Assembly 2018 resources section here.