wfn.org | Genevans Hear GAC Director

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

GA99123 
25-June-1999 
 
                    Genevans Hear GAC Director 
 
 
FORT WORTH- The Genevans gathered Friday noon for their annual General 
Assembly meeting. Welcomed by President Jerry Andrews, he introduced those 
attending to the basic principles and philosophy of the organization. The 
Genevans came into being to provide objective aid to commissioners to the 
General Assembly in understanding the issues coming before the body. 
Further, he added, they seek to afford information on polity procedures to 
commissioners as they work to fulfill their responsibilities. 
     William Giles, interim executive of the Synod of Living Waters, 
introduced the General Assembly Council Director, John Detterick, who 
brought the principal message of the meeting.  Giles  observed that the 
director was gifted in his ability "to rise above much of the controversy 
of the church, a mark of outstanding leadership". 
     Director Detterick reported that he had spent this first year of his 
administration in traveling, listening, and dialoguing with individuals and 
groups throughout the church. He expressed appreciation for the feedback he 
had been receiving during this time. 
      "This has been a very interesting General Assembly," said the 
director. He pointed to two significant points in that regard: first, the 
very high level of trust among the commissioners of each other; second, the 
strong focus on support and willingness to work together.  
     A plan for data gathering through presbytery visits that include 
consultations with GA staff, will be put in place.  Taking that data to the 
synod level, again consultations will be held with that composite 
information taken to the offices in Louisville. The compilation of 
information, Detterick, compares to a mosaic where bit and pieces are 
joined to gather to make a complete work of art. Completing his 
presentation, the director then opened the floor for questions.  
     Andrews pointed to the fact that Detterick committed over half of his 
allotted speaking time to answering questions from the floor. "This is 
proof of his dedication to listening to the constituency,"explained 
Andrews.  He then  announced that director Detterick had been presented 
with a lifetime membership to the Genevans.  He noted that the director 
joined  three other lifetime members, Marj Carpenter, Thomas Gillespie, and 
Clifton Kirkpatrick.   
 
Emett H. Barfield                 

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