wfn.org | Local Organizers Are Saddling up For 1996 General Assembly

[PCUSA_NEWS@ecunet.org]

Date: 13-Jun-96 
 
96233            Local Organizers Are Saddling up 
                    For 1996 General Assembly 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--With more than a year's effort coming to fruition, 
members of the Committee on Local Arrangements (COLA) are excitedly adding 
the final touches to the 208th General Assembly (1996). 
 
     Under the theme of "Consider Your Call," this year's Assembly will be 
held in New Mexico's largest city and is expected to draw a crowd of 4,000 
to 5,000 Presbyterians and observers.  
 
     Headed by executive coordinator Jeannie Salazar and co-chairs Joanne 
Parker and Bill Aber, the Presbytery of Santa Fe's COLA is hard at work to 
ensure that Assembly business sessions, committee meetings, worship 
services, displays, tours, recreational activities and more are conducted 
seamlessly. 
 
     "In Albuquerque you'll find a combination of cultures, arts and 
crafts, landscapes and various attractions," Parker told the Presbyterian 
News Service. "Centuries of Native American and Hispanic cultures have 
influenced the Southwest.  Native American dances, historic Old Town, New 
Mexico cuisine, hot-air balloon rides, adobe architecture and the world's 
largest continuous tramway ... are just a few of the attractions that await 
you." 
   
     Ray Kersting, COLA's chair of promotion and local relations, said that 
although many of the events, such as the July 2 Golf Outing to Benefit the 
Synod of the Southwest and the July 4 Board of Pensions 5K Run/Walk, are 
already sold out, plenty of other activities will be on hand to keep 
visitors spellbound in the "Land of Enchantment." 
 
     For example, participants will worship together daily at the 
convention center, beginning with a Worship Celebration and Service of Holy 
Communion on June 30.  A congregation of thousands will attend the special 
service, which includes the commissioning of missionaries and a sermon by 
outgoing moderator Marj Carpenter. 
 
     Aber said that COLA and Santa Fe Presbytery are offering three special 
mission tours July 2, 3 and 5.  The tours will offer visitors a glimpse of 
local ministries to the homeless, to new immigrants and their families and 
to children and youth in trouble. 
 
     Once inside the exhibit hall, visitors will find nearly 60,000 square 
feet of exhibits that display the mission and resources of the Presbyterian 
Church (U.S.A.).  Many items will be available for sale in the Cokesbury 
Bookstore, the SERRV handcrafts display and the PC(USA) sales area. 
 
     The Moderator's Reception will be held July 2 at the Hyatt Regency 
Hotel.  Other Assembly hotels include the Doubletree, La Posada de 
Albuquerque, Sheraton Inn, Best Western Grande, Albuquerque Hilton, 
Fairfield Inn, Holiday Inn Mountain View, LeBaron Inn, and Sumner Suites. 
Among other amenities, the hotels have restaurants, indoor and outdoor 
pools and fitness centers for guests to enjoy during leisure hours. 
Accommodations will also be provided by the University of New Mexico. 
   
     Assembly guests will need to be prepared for the arid desert climate. 
Organizers say it would be wise to bring sunscreen, hats and moisturizer, 
and drink plenty of water while in Albuquerque.  The altitude is almost one 
mile; almost everyone will notice the difference, and those who have 
respiratory problems will need to be especially careful and rest 
frequently. 
 
     Kersting said "Celebrando Juntos" (Celebrating Together) is the theme 
for the special event to be held at the historic Menual School on July 4. 
The campus is located only a few miles from the convention center, and 
transportation will be provided. 
 
     "The event is for all Presbyterians and there's no [admission] 
charge," Kersting said.  "There is an $18 charge for a catered meal, but 
there's going to be a food court area with lots of food at affordable 
prices at the school. During this celebration, there'll be eight Native 
American choirs singing and several Hispanic music and dance groups, along 
with jug bands and other musicians." 
 
     In addition to exposing their palates to spicy native foods, visitors 
will also have the opportunity to uncover the beauty of native arts and 
crafts and enjoy the company of friends.  The Menual School campus, a 
combination of old and new buildings shadowed by Chinese elms, is located 
just minutes from downtown Albuquerque. Founded in 1881 as the Presbyterian 
Training School for Pueblo Indians, Menual continues to be a private 
institution supported in part by the PC(USA). 
 
     Those fortunate enough to stay in New Mexico after the Assembly will 
be able to visit a couple of enticing cities in close proximity -- Santa 
Fe, the state capital, is approximately one hour away, and the celebrated 
art community of Taos is about three hours from Albuquerque. 

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For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 

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