wfn.org | Commissioner says twenty years worth the wait

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

Note #6618 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

10-June-2001
GA01060

Commissioner says twenty years worth the wait

Emett Barfield

LOUISVILLE, June 10 - Elder Tommy Ayres, commissioner from the Presbytery of
East Tennessee says, "I asked my pastor twenty years ago, if, when our
church came up in the rotation for Assembly commissioners, I could go." This
year was Elder Ayres' Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church's turn and the
pastor, William Barron, had not forgotten the request.

Tommy Ayres is a life long Presbyterian and a member of the Sequoyah Hills
church for the past 42 years.  He holds a distinguished record of service to
the other governing bodies of this denomination. Serving his local church,
he was a member of the pulpit nominating committee which called the Rev.
Barron. At the presbytery level he served as moderator of the stewardship
committee and was a member of the Council of the Synod of Living Waters.

Now his service to his church at this General Assembly is on the Committee
on General Assembly Procedures. When asked about his impressions of the
committee and its work, he responded, "I am very impressed with the
thoroughness, good discussion, and unity of spirit among the members." He
expressed particular interest in Overture 01-35 which encourages
presbyteries to send alternate commissioners to the General Assembly. He
feels that the apprenticeship would be invaluable to elder and minister
commissioners alike. He also felt positive about the success of the
committee's work since the majority of the voting in his committee has been
unanimous.

When asked about General Assembly as a whole, he immediately responded
saying, "I am greatly impressed. I am impressed with the facilities where we
are meeting, the general structure of the meeting, and certainly the obvious
organization of the meeting. The two events that will have the most lasting
impression on me are the excellence of the four moderator candidates and the
worship service on Sunday morning. To this point, they are the outstanding
experiences of my time at the General Assembly." Ayres concluded the
interview by affirming that the experience was well worth the 20 year wait.

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