Ready or Not, GA and Detroit — here we come!

This last weekend was filled to the brim for me… moving my husband to his new living quarters in Memory Care and celebrating the 10th anniversary of Faith Presbyterian Church yesterday in Blue Ridge.  Tomorrow, I move into my new living facility (thanks to the help of TE Carrie Scott from Ray Thomas Memorial and RE Carol Berry of Woodstock Pres.).  With so much going on, it’s just now dawning on me that I fly out this Friday (the 13th!) for Detroit to attend the 221st meeting of our denomination’s General Assembly.

I always enjoy General Assembly, because for me, it is my chance to worship; much like Presbytery gatherings are times for Presbytery pastors to worship.  And the worship at General Assembly is always amazing, with inspiring preachers from around the country and around the world, tremendous music, liturgical arts, etc.  General Assembly is also a time for me to connect with friends from around the country.  Oh yes… and there is the Exhibition Hall — a magic place filled with all manner of resources, information and goodies to buy.  Despite my late preparations, I am really looking forward to attending.

You may wonder what a Stated Clerk/Mission Coordinator does at a General Assembly.  Many of my colleagues serve as committee assistants or parliamentarians, or even as bloggers during the week.  None of those tasks appeal to me much, so I have volunteered to be  “presence keeper.”  Presence Keepers are assigned to be present at various times to hold the body and its deliberations in prayer.  Now that’s a task I feel called to!  So, I will be sitting in prayer during all of the committee meetings for the Middle East Concerns Committee and for a number of the plenary sessions.  Other folks will be serving other committees and other times in plenary session.

So, while our commissioners and YAAD are serving their committees; while others blog, oversee parliamentary procedure and assist committees; while I and others hold the community in prayer; and while yet others come to share their concerns and opinions, I would ask this of you:  please keep all of US in prayer this coming week.  And if you get a chance, check in at http://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/ga221/ to see live streaming beginning with opening worship at 11am on Saturday the 14th.