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Thursday, June 22, 2006

 

Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ,

 

May the grace of our Lord be with each of you. Your commissioners, advisory delegates and alternate commissioners to the 217^th General Assembly send greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. All of us wish to thank you for the opportunity to serve our Presbytery and the Presbyterian Church (USA) at this year’s General Assembly meeting.

 

In the course of our deliberations, the General Assembly passed several items that are sure to produce both joy and concern. We have some suggestions we hope will calm the waters so God’s voice can be heard above the noise of the many interpretations of what we accomplished.

 

~ The din of the mass media sometimes passes on as much misunderstanding as it does understanding. One commissioner said, “I read the paper this morning about what we did yesterday and wondered if the reporters were at the same meeting I was.” Reportage does not always reflect an accurate accounting of facts. 

 

~ The best source of information can be found by going to the Presbyterian Church’s web site http://www.pcusa.org/ and clicking on the General Assembly icon at the bottom right of the home page. There you can read the official reports. Look also to the blog (web site) http://www.petgareports.blogspot.com/ that offer our Presbytery’s observers, delegates and commissioners thoughts. You can link to the blog from the Presbytery web site http://www.presbyteryeasttn.org/ .

 

~ Among the many things we considered, we ask you to particularly re-read the Report of the Task Force on Peace Unity and Purity. Every church received a printed copy of this in the mail with a DVD of the report with resources used by the committee. Also look at what is called the “The Trinity:  God’s Overflowing Love.” All these are also found on the PC (USA) web site and can be printed directly.  This report, and others, can also be ordered in print form from the GA.

        http://www.pcusa.org/ga217/newsandphotos/ga06097.htm for information on “PUP”

        http://www.pcusa.org/ga217/newsandphotos/ga06086.htm for information on “Trinity”

 

~ Having prepared with study, meditation, prayer, and discussion please make your plans to attend the Presbytery meeting, August 22, Rivermont Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga. We will begin the first of several seminars that include Q&A with your Commissioners so you will again be able to listen and speak so all may hear and we hope understand the voice of God as it speaks to us and to our work as brothers and sisters in Christ.   Please plan to join us at this most important meeting of our Presbytery.

        These actions reflect the earnest call of the Rev. Joan Gray, Moderator of the GA elected in Birmingham, for an intentional time of retreat for reflection, discussion and prayer with all members of all our churches across the denomination during the next two years. We strongly support this call.

 

We will be back to families and to our work by Friday morning, tired by our 8-day experience but also refreshed by the truth that God really has and will work in wonderful and mysterious ways through the great cloud of faithful witnesses we have met with in Birmingham.

 

 

 

 

 

Claire Harris                                                    Chris Deacon

Youth Advisory Delegate                                 Theological Student Advisory Delegate

 

 

Mayme Kay Banasiak                                     Liz Preston

Elder Commissioner                                       Elder Commissioner

 

 

James McTyre                                                            Rob Mellgard

Minister Commissioner                                   Minister Commissioner

 

 

Gary Aven                                                       Michael Gant

Alternate Minister Commissioner                   Alternate Elder Commissioner