wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] A New Way to Do the Same Old Thing

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8293 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

A New Way to Do the Same Old Thing
GA04003
June 26, 2004

A New Way to Do the Same Old Thing

Saturday orientation will have commissioners and delegates on their feet

by Sharon K. Youngs

RICHMOND, June 26 - The opening session of the 216th General Assembly will be
unlike any opening sessions of previous Assemblies.

Commissioners and advisory delegates will receive the traditional orientation
to the Assembly, but in a new way. After the moderator pounds the gavel to
open the plenary session and some introductory matters, the 765 commissioners
and delegates will be divided into three groups that will move in round-robin
fashion through three sessions, each with a particular focus.

OUR COMMON MISSION: BALLROOM A
Led by John Detterick and Cliff Kirkpatrick, this group will hear a brief
summary of the middle governing body consultations that have taken place over
the last three years. Participants will have an opportunity to share where
they think God is leading the 216th GA.

OUR COMMON WORK: BALLROOM C
Leadership from all six agencies of the PC(USA) will be present for this
session. Participants will hear about the common work of the six agencies
(Office of the General Assembly, General Assembly Council, Presbyterian
Foundation, Presbyterian Loan and Investment Program, Board of Pensions, and
Presbyterian Publishing Corporation) through an introduction to the joint
annual agency report. They will also learn how to use the report as a
teaching tool in their presbyteries and congregations.

OUR COMMON LIFE: PLENARY HALL
The Moderator of the 215th General Assembly (2003) and Gradye Parsons,
associate stated clerk, will lead this session. Participants will learn the
mechanics of working in plenary sessions of the Assembly. This includes how
to use electronic voting pads, the significance of different paddle colors,
and so forth. The General Assembly Nominating Committee will also give their
first report during this session.

Why the change? "We want to provide commissioners and advisory delegates a
more interactive introduction to their work this week," said Parsons. "In the
past, we know that nearly 100% of commissioners and advisory delegates have
been present for the opening session, but 40% of them respond on their
evaluations that they do not remember having been there."

"We want this first session to be memorable."

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216.

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