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June 15, 1997 
 
GA97014     REPORTS, ADVICE, PRACTICE OPEN ASSEMBLY 
 
SYRACUSE--Five raps of Moderator John Buchanan's gavel and an invocation 
lifting up both the diversity and unity of Presbyterians by Vice Moderator 
Gay Mothershed opened the 209th General Assembly Saturday afternoon. 
 
    Here commissioners received additional orientation to the experience 
ahead of them including common sense advice from Director of Administrative 
Services Jan De Vries, a playful demonstration of electronic voting from 
Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick, and an introduction to assistant and 
associate stated clerks, parliamentarians, platform and security staff. 
 
    In practice electronic voting, commissioners determined that 503 of 
them were present along with 200 advisory delegates, that the average 
commissioner was between 40 and 50 years of age, 80 per cent were attending 
their first General Assembly, and 75 per cent were in Syracuse for the 
first time. 
 
    Three required items of business were approved:  Assembly committee 
staff and structure, and  the initial report from the Assembly's Bills and 
Overtures Committee setting the docket and listing referrals of Assembly 
business to its various committees. 
 
    The Rev. John Buchanan, moderator of the 209th General Assembly, opened 
the traditional report of his moderatorial year by introducing a new 
publication, "Presbyterians: Being Faithful to Jesus Christ,"  launched 
this past month and aimed at eventual mailing to the homes of all 
Presbyterians. 
 
    As Buchanan told tales of visits he made to 72 presbyteries and eight 
countries, Presbyterian mission success stories shone through. Some told of 
grants and disaster teams helping to  rebuild winter-damaged South Dakota, 
some of war-ravaged Croatia, and some told of the Presbyterian presence 
symbolized by such visits. 
 
    Buchanan reported on the joys of finding,  across the country, 
congregations doing what Presbyterians do best in worship, in baptizing, 
teaching and nurturing members, in feeding the hungry and caring for the 
needy. 
 
    Likening Presbyterian diversity to a sign he saw recently on a general 
store in Clinton, S.C. that read  "if we don't have it, you don't need it," 
Buchanan reported also on the pain brought by aspects of that  diversity. 
As he thanked the church at large for the honor of serving as moderator, he 
called commissioners to provide guidance in the way ahead as the 
denomination seeks common ground and ways to deal responsibly with 
diversity. 
 
    Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick related experiences of his first year 
and his hopes for the future to the forthcoming denominational emphasis on 
the Great Ends of the Church. 
 
    A report from the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly 
concluded Saturday's business. 
 
Midge Mack 

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