wfn.org | The Assembly Gets Started

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13-June-1998 
GA98013 
 
    The Assembly Gets Started 
 
    Jane Hines 
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--The first session of the 210th General Assembly was called 
to order at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, l998, by Moderator Pat Brown, 
who presented   Kimberly Buechner Fouse, clergy commissioner from 
Cincinnati Presbytery, for the opening prayer.  General Assembly stated 
clerk, Clifton Kirkpatrick was introduced and he declared that a quorum was 
present.  There were 564 commissioners registered from 172 presbyteries and 
220 advisory delegates. The presence of staff was acknowledged, and the 
clerk led the Assembly in prayer for long-time staff member Sue Whitford, 
who died on her way to Charlotte. 
    An orientation session was led by  Kirkpatrick, designed to acquaint 
commissioners with procedures and policies and voting methods.  Finally, 
the Moderator declared that the Assembly was "ready for business." 
Appointments were approved and the docket, as proposed by Art Chew, 
moderator of the Assembly Committee on Bills and Overtures, was adopted. 
    Vice Moderator Eugene Sibery presented Moderator Pat Brown for her 
report to the Assembly.  Her story of travels and meetings and mission 
observed during the year of her tenure was illustrated with colorful 
slides portraying many of the people and places she had visited.  She 
received a standing ovation from commissioners. 
    The stated clerk's report was a tribute to the people who make up "the 
rich diversity of the Presbyterian Church "as it has been observed by 
Kirkpatrick this past year.   He expressed his appreciation for "the 
privilege of serving" the denomination in this position of leadership and 
told stories of the faith and dedication he has observed among the 
Presbyterians he has visited around the country and the world.  He 
challenged commissioners to make the Great Ends of the Church reality in 
the life of the denomination and received a standing ovation. 
    Harriett Nelson, moderator of the Committee on the Office of the 
General Assembly, introduced the 16 members of the committee and reported 
on their work during the past year as they have provided oversight and 
guidance for the stated clerk and the clerk's staff.  A highlight of the 
report was a tribute to Juanita Granady, who is retiring after 32 years as 
assistant stated clerk, director of the department of the office of the 
stated clerk.  Following her gracious response to the tribute, she received 
a standing ovation. 
    The first plenary session of the 210th General Assembly of the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) concluded with an official welcome by Charles 
Norwood, chairperson of the local arrangements committee.  A video 
illustrating the history and the progress of the Charlotte area gave 
commissioners a sense of where they are, as they go about the work of the 
church in the week to come. 
    Joel Weible, Theological Seminary Advisory Delegate from Louisville 
Presbyterian Seminary, gave the closing prayer. 

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