The 2023 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland meets in Assembly Buildings in Belfast from Wednesday evening, 21 June and closes on Saturday afternoon, 24 June.
Attended by approximately 1,000 ministers and elders from the Church’s 500-plus congregations across Ireland, along with others who are entitled to attend, including overseas representatives of PCI’s partner churches and organisations from around the world, it will be a busy time. Before the Assembly are 24 sessions dealing with business from the General Assembly’s 9 Councils and Commissions, numerous panels and task groups, that will ultimately involve upwards of 100 resolutions being decided upon.
In this section you will find details of each day’s business before the General Assembly. You can download the reports and resolutions mentioned below in The Blue Book here.This page also includes new digital and e-reader versions of the Blue Book. Supplementary Reports can also be found here when published.
You can download a pdf version of the Revised Guidelines to Assembly Procedure here.
NB Times in brackets may be anticpated times.
Wednesday, 21 June
| 7pm |
|
Service of Worship
Constitution of Assembly
Election of the Moderator
|
Thursday, 22 June
| 10am |
1.
|
General Assembly Business Committee:
Initial Report and Resolutions 1-4 (pages 4-6 and 401)
|
| |
2.
|
Reports of Presbyteries (pages 215-221)
|
| |
3.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 1 of Report and Resolution 5-7 (pages 1-25 and 401)
Executive Summary and Introduction; Pastorial Leadership Task Group; General Assembly Opening and Installation of Moderator Report; Principal Appointment; Memorial Record
|
| 11.30 |
4.
|
Reception of Corresponding Members and Delegates
- Dr Paul Wells - Faculté Jean Calvin, France
- Rev Dr Mwawi Chilongozi - General Secretary of the General Assembly of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Malawi
- Adeel Rehmat - Executive Director, PAK Mission Society, Pakistan
- Rev Dr Maqsood Kamil - Strategic Advisor, PAK Mission Society, Pakistan
|
| 12.15pm |
5.
|
Worship
|
| 1pm |
|
Lunch
|
| 2pm |
6.
|
COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL WITNESS:
Report and Resolutions (pages 222-236 and 406)
|
| 2.45pm |
7.
|
COUNCIL FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS:
Report and Resolutions (pages 237-258 and 406-407)
|
|
3.45pm
|
|
Refreshment break
|
| 4.15pm |
8.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 2 of Report and Resolutions 8-12 (pages 26-54 and 402)
Doctrine Committee; Brief Statement on Faith and Order; Virtual Communion; Decision Making and Dissent Task Group
|
| 5.45pm |
|
Dinner
|
| 6pm |
|
Under 30s Fringe Event
Come along to enjoy a free light tea and listen in on what a panel of Under 30’s are making of this year’s General Assembly.
More information and registration details to follow.
|
| 7.45pm |
9. |
Evening Celebration: Confident in Christ
Guest speaker - Rev Jonty Rhodes
|
| (9.15pm) |
|
Close of Business
|
Friday, 23 June
| 10am |
10.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 3 of Report and Resolutions 13-15 (pages 55-60 and 402-403)
Membership and People with Intellectual Disabilities Task Group
|
| 10.30am |
11. |
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 4 of Report and Resolutions 16-18 (pages 61-102 and 403)
Communications Strategy Task Group; Pandemic Response Task Group
|
| 11.30am |
|
Intermission
|
| 11.45pm |
12.
|
Assembly Communion Service
- including the Memorial Roll.
|
| 1pm |
|
Lunch
|
| 2pm |
13.
|
COUNCILS/COMMISSIONS NOT PRESENTING VERBALLY:
Council for Congregational Life & Witness (pages 259-282 and 407); Council for Global Mission (pages 283-306 and 408); Linkage Commission (pages 307-324 and 48)
|
| 2.45pm |
14. |
Listening to the Global Church:
Theme: Joyful...patient...faithful
|
| 3.45pm |
|
Refreshment Break
|
| 4.15pm |
15.
|
JUDICIAL COMMISSION:
Report and Resolutions (pages 365-379 and 409-410)
Code Republishing Task Group
|
| 5.45pm |
|
Dinner
|
| |
|
|
| 7.15pm |
16.
|
COUNCIL FOR MISSION IN IRELAND:
Report and Resolutions (pages 325-364 and 410-411)
|
| 8.15pm |
17.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 5 of Report and Resolutions 19-21 (pages 103-150 and 403)
Reconfiguration of Ministry Task Group
|
| (9pm) |
|
Close of Business
|
Saturday, 24 June
| 10am |
18.
|
Private Session – JUDICIAL COMMISSION:
Report and Resolutions (pages 365-379 and 409-410)
Special Judicial Commission (pages 378 and 410); Commission on Applications (pages 379 and 410
|
| 10.30am |
19.
|
TRUSTEES
Report and Resolutions (pages 380-385 and 411)
|
| 11am |
20.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 6 of Report and Resolutions 22-29 (pages 151-187 and 403-404)
Support Services Committee; United Appeal Committee; Initial Pension Scheme Review Panel; Holding Trustees Task Group; Guyesmere Panel
|
| 1pm |
|
Lunch
|
| 2pm |
21.
|
COUNCIL FOR TRAINING IN MINISTRY:
Report and Resolutions (pages 386-396 and 411-412)
|
| 3pm |
22.
|
GENERAL COUNCIL: Section 7 of Report and Resolutions 30-40 (pages 188-204 and 404-406)
Nominations Committee; General Assembly Advisory Committee; Church Relations Committee; Ad-Hoc Business (inc. Memorials (pages 412-413)); Reports for information (Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland and Presbyterian Children's Society)
|
| |
23.
|
Lapsed Business (if any)
|
| |
24.
|
Final Report of the General Assembly Business Committee
|
| |
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- CLOSE OF ASSEMBLY -
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