wfn.org | NCC General Assembly Meets in Minneapolis

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Annual General Assembly meets in Minneapolis

with a theme of rejoicing, praying and giving thanks

Minneapolis, November 5, 2009 -- The annual General Assembly of the 
National Council of Churches USA  and Church World Service will meet 
here November 10-12 in a spirit of New Testament optimism and a 
celebration of the 35 diverse communions that come together to form 
the ecumenical bodies.

Meeting under a theme from I Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice Always, 
Pray without ceasing, Give thanks in all circumstances," the General 
Assembly will install the Rev. Peg Chemberlin, a Moravian and 
executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches, as the 25th 
president of the National Council of Churches since 1950. Chemberlin 
will be the second Moravian and fourth woman to hold the office.

Chemberlin will be installed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday , November 12, in 
St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Minneapolis.

The General Assembly will take place in the Doubletree Hotel 
Minneapolis-Park Place, 1500 Park Place Blvd., St. Louis Park.

General information about the General Assembly, including 
registration forms and a program book, can be downloaded at 
www.ncccusa.org/ga2009/

Other business coming before the General Assembly will be a 
resolution on Nuclear Disarmament: The Time is Now that was passed 
earlier this fall by the NCC and CWS boards. If the General Assembly 
adopts it, the resolution will take on additional status as a General 
Assembly Resolution. The issues of immigration reform and gun 
violence will also be discussed.

Presiding over sessions of the General Assembly will be Archbishop 
Vicken Aykazian, who is finishing his two-year term as NCC President, 
and Bishop Johncy Itty, chair of the CWS board of directors. 
Presenting their annual reports will be the Rev. Dr. Michael 
Kinnamon, general secretary of the NCC, and the Rev. John McCullough, 
executive director and CEO of Church World Service. Chair of the 
General Assembly Program Committee is the Rev. Dr. Raymon Hunt of the 
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

Keynote speaker during opening sessions on Tuesday, November 10, will 
be the Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer, professor of New Testament and chair 
of biblical studies at Inter-denominational Theological Center in 
Atlanta. Aymer, who will also be addressing the Claire Randall 
Women's Leadership Luncheon on Wednesday, November 11, is a 
Presbyterian minister and scholar.

The Rev. Dr. Charles Amjad-Ali, Martin Luther King Jr. Professor for 
Justice and Christian Community and Director of Islamic Studies at 
Luther Seminary in Minneapolis, will be General Assembly bible study 
leader Wednesday morning, November 11.

Open Forums slated for Wednesday afternoon will give delegates and 
registered guests an opportunity to delve into "The Book of Faith," 
"Building Community Through Interfaith Relations: the Minnesota 
Model;" "The White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood 
Partnerships;" "Immigration and A Call for Action;" and viewing of an 
Emmy award winning documentary, "A Walk to Beautiful."

Preceding the General Assembly November 7-9 will be New Fire, a 
special event for young adults who have emerged as leaders in the 
ecumenical movement. This year's event is a reprise of last year's 
New Fire event that was widely lauded for the energy and creativity 
of its participants. This year the participants will identify 
ecumenical programs and ministries that can be implemented under 
their leadership.

In addition, nine young adult stewards will assist the General 
Assembly with hospitality, registration, audio-visial and technology, 
communications and logistics.

> General Assembly Media Contacts:

Lesley Crosson, 212-870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 646-853-4212 (cell) , 
pjenks@ncccusa.org;
Ann Walle, 212-870-2654, awalle@churchworldservice.org