The annual meeting will start with a service of worship, where guests from across Ireland and overseas, from civic society, and members of the public, will be welcomed by the outgoing Moderator, Rt Rev Dr John Kirkpatrick. He will give his address and perform one of his last duties when he constitutes the General Assembly for its three days of worship, debate and discussion.
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Incoming Moderator, Dr Sam Mawhinney will be the 178th person to hold the office since the establishment of the Church in 1840 and the 10th from a Dublin city congregation. He will address the General Assembly on his theme for the year, ‘Confident in Christ’, after he has been formally nominated, elected and installed, chairing the meeting over the coming days.
With men and women coming together in General Assembly from the all-Ireland denomination’s 500-plus congregations for the Church’s principal decision-making and governing body, the Clerk of the General Assembly, Rev Trevor Gribben, said that there were a number of significant areas of business that would be before members. From the theological to the political, areas of ministry to the missional, he expects it to be a busy time.
“For any organisation the annual meeting is an important moment in its calendar. For Irish Presbyterians it is part of the rhythm of church life and this year we gather on the longest day of the year. It is essentially the Church coming together in General Assembly, meeting, as we have done for the past 183 years now, with one recent exception, for fellowship, to worship, to pray and to wait on God, taking the decisions that we need to take. Many of these will affect the life and ministry of our denomination for years to come,” Mr Gribben said.
“This year there are more reports coming before members than there have been for a quite a number of years and some are not only highly significant in their content, they are longer than usual. Each member receives a copy of the ‘Blue Book’ containing the reports and resolutions, and at 416 pages, it is 140 pages longer than last year’s, and one of the largest in recent memory. So it will be a busy and important few days.
“The reason for this is partially due to the unforeseen consequences that Covid brought us, but more so the Church needing to take a couple of years to work through some big issues, which involved internal discussion and consultation. Last year the reports of these Task Groups where interim, this year we need to make final decisions,” Mr Gribben explained.
With business before the Assembly starting on Thursday morning, and closing on Saturday afternoon, throughout the three days the work of PCI’s Councils and Commissions, contained in upwards of 80 separate reports, will be before members. With the vast majority of business livestreamed, they will also vote on around 100 resolutions. Members of the public welcome to attend the public gallery.
Mr Gribben explained that the week’s business ranged from a significant report on PCI’s response to the pandemic, which captures PCI’s story and makes recommendations for the future, the acceptance of people with Intellectual Disabilities into full membership of the Church, and two reports from the Doctrine Committee. There will also be a final report from the Decision and Dissent Task Group, which has looked at dissent and what it means, particularly for PCI’s ordained leadership, and a strategic report that affirms the importance of church planting throughout Ireland. The Council for Public Affairs will also bring resolutions that address some for the social and political issues facing society.
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“One of the most a comprehensive and strategic reports that will be before us is the Report of the Reconfiguration of Ministry Task Group, which is the longest report in the Blue Book. As it states, the Task Group’s remit was to examine ‘key principles and practicalities that will underpin a radical reconfiguration of ministry in the light of changing demographics and ministry and missional opportunities.’ This is an in important piece of work and is really about how we use what the Lord has entrusted to us and to do His work as effectively as we can. It’s a Green Paper, our very first, because this is the start of a process, so it is important to get the Church thinking, talking, listening and praying about mission and ministry before any decisions are taken,” Mr Gribben explained.
The Assembly will also see the popular Evening Celebration take place on Thursday evening at 7.45pm. Led by Dr Mawhinney, the speaker will be Rev Jonty Rhodes, founding pastor of Christ Church Central in Leeds. The Assembly Communion Service will take place on Friday morning at 11.45. Mr Gribben said that, “everyone who loves the Lord Jesus is welcome at the Service, and at our other times of worship.”
He concluded by saying, “General Assemblies are busy times, but this year we have a very packed agenda. I am looking forward to hearing what God has laid on Dr Mawhinney’s heart for the year ahead as our new Moderator, our ‘primus inter paras’, our first among equals. I also look forward to hearing from our outgoing Moderator, Dr Kirkpatrick, on the somewhat unique year that he has had, at the start of what will be an important time of decision making, and a time of fellowship, as the Church waits upon the Lord.”
Photos: (1) Moderator-Designate, Rev Dr Sam Mawhinney, who will become Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland this evening (2) the Opening Night of the 2022 General Assembly, outgoing Moderator Dr David Bruce congratulates Dr John Kirkpartick on his election as Moderator (3) Rev Trevor Gribben, Clerk of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly will open today at 7pm. It will be livestreamed on here on this website. All public sessions will be livestreamed until the Assembly’s close on Saturday, 24 June. You will find the business before the Assembly here and the Reports that will be discussed here. You can follow proceedings live via Twitter @pciassembly using the hashtag #PCIGA23.