220th General Assembly, Saturday

All of Lake Michigan Presbytery's commissioners arrived on Friday. Our YAAD, Theresa Larson was stranded in the Detroit Airport because of a canceled flight, but got to her hotel at 3:30 a.m. this morning! She met another YAAD who was scheduled for the same flight, so she had company. Jim Hegadus, Eileen and I started the day with a Middle East Peace Breakfast. Speakers advocated for our role as peacemakers and bridgebuilders and against PC(USA) Divestment which is recommended to this GA. Then the commissioners participated in Riverside discussions: round robin small group presentations on topics that will be addressed by the assembly. This was an opportunity for commissioners learn about, discuss in table conversations and engage in topics other than those they will engage in their appointed committees. Jim and I also attended the Presbyterian Outlook Luncheon. The four moderator candidates were introduced and had a chance to address the group. It seems the Assembly couldn't go wrong, as the four are all strong candidates. Then the Assembly convened with a grand opening worship at 1:30, with I'm guessing 7,000 worshipers. One bus came from as far as Buffalo for just this service! We sang old stand by hymns: "Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty," and "I Greet Thee, Whom My Sure Redeemer Art." Calvin's lines seemed to jump off the page, "Thou hast the true and perfect gentleness, no harshness hast thou and no bitternes: O grant to us the grace we find in thee, that we may dwell in perfect unity." Cynthia Bolbach preached a power sermon on Jesus' healing of the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12) calling us to be those disciples who bring the paralyzed to Jesus. Then a newly commissioned song for this occasion led us to holy communion, "Wait for the Lord" based on Isaiah 40:28-31, which is the theme of the Assembly, "Walk, Run, Soar!" In the morning and then after worship, while the commissioners were being oriented and welcomed by the host Pittsburgh Presbytery, I was at the Face to Face interviewing persons interested in the position opportunities in Lake Michigan Presbytery. At this evening's plenary, they thanked the outgoing moderator and vice moderater, and elected a new moderator for this assembly. On the fifth vote, they elected Neal Presa, they youngest candidate, who is pastor of a multicultural congregation in Middlesex, NJ, and member of Elizabeth Presbytery. He is also an adjunct professor for worship at New Brunswick Seminary. In presenting himself in official materials published by the OGA, he lifted up the witness of Julian of Norwich, the 14th Century mystic, "...but all will be well, and all will be well, and every kind of thing will be well," as a conviction he believes. He is a Filipino American from Guam. In comparison with other assemblies, there was little to no organized campaign booths for any of the candidates, no buttons, hats or flyers. The only vestiges of the old election campaigns was a few supportive tea shirts worn by supports. The Assembly was bless with four strong candidates. There was little shifting in voting until a stretch break and then prayer before the fifth vote. Interestingly, Presa and his choice for Vice Moderator come to assembly with different views of marriage.