Tag Archives: PCTT

General Assembly Season 2021

Celtic cross logo

May 1st is my official starting point for General Assembly Season and while I try to have this posted by then some commitments in other areas of my life made that difficult. At this point, as we continue through the GA Season my teaching responsibilities will be trailing off and I hope to be tracking everything more closely.

Looking at this GA season, for the meetings that we have good information on there is a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online meetings. It will be interesting to see how these all go.

So this is the line-up for General Assembly Season as I know it now. Please let me know if I have missed an announcement or a presbyterian branch.

PCT Logo

66th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Taipei
20-22 April 2021



Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago logo

61st Synod Annual General Meeting
Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago
Hybrid
22-24 April 2021



Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australian logo

Synod
The Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia
Hunter PCEA, Cardiff, NSW
5-7 May 2021



Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad logo


45th General Assembly
Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad
Hybrid, based at Atlanta Vision Church
11 May 2021




Presbyterian Church of Tasmania logo


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Tasmania
11 May 2021



Covenant Presbyterian Church logo

General Assembly & Family Camp
Covenant Presbyterian Church
Divide, Colorado
12-15 May 2021



Presbyterian Church of Malaysia logo


47th General Assembly
Christian Presbyterian Church of Malaysia
13-14 May 2021


Free Church of Scotland logo

General Assembly
Free Church of Scotland
17-19 May 2021
Videoconference


Korean-American Presbyterian Church of the Americas logo

45th General Assembly
Korean-American Presbyterian Church of the Americas
18-19 May 2021
Videoconference from World Hope Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles



Church of Scotland seal

General Assembly
Church of Scotland
22-27 May 2021
Blended, from the Assembly Hall, Edinburgh




Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) logo

General Assembly
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
24-26 May 2021
Videoconference


General Assembly
United Free Church of Scotland
26-28 May 2021
Hybrid
Milngavie United Free Church
Glasgow


146th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Canada
6-9 June 2021
Videoconference


Synod 2021
Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland
7-9 June 2021
Videoconference


217th Stated Meeting of the General Synod
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
8-10 June 2021
First Presbyterian Church
Columbia, South Carolina




2021 Synod
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
14-17 June 2021
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, Indiana



General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Queensland
Including the Presbytery of South Australia
21-24 June 2021
Living Church, Carina


41st General Assembly
Evangelical Presbyterian Church
22-25 June 2021
Second Presbyterian Church
Memphis


145th General Assembly
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America
27 June – 2 July 2021
Louisville, Kentucky
Concurrent with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church


190th General Assembly
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
27 June – 2 July 2021
Louisville, Kentucky
Concurrent with Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America



48th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in America
28 June -2 June 2021
St. Louis


N.S.W. State Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Australia
in the State of New South Wales

5 July 2021 (begins)
Hybrid, from Presbyterian Ladies’ College
Croydon, N.S.W.


87th General Assembly
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
7-14 July 2021
Dordt University
Sioux Center, Iowa


General Assembly
United Reformed Church (UK)
9-12 July 2021
Online
Included as the successor to the English Presbyterian Church



Reformed Presbyterian International Conference
20-16 July 2021
Marion, Indiana
Rescheduled from 2020, Canceled. Next in 2024




84th General Synod
Bible Presbyterian Church
5-9 August 2021
Grace Presbyterian Church, Cape Canaveral, FL


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
29 September -3 October 2021
St. Andrews College
Christchurch
(biennial – but rescheduled from 2020)


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Victoria
4 – 7 October 2021



112th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Western Australia
29 October 2021 (begins)
St. Columba’s Church, Peppermint Grove




Presbyterian Church in Ireland logo


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
TBA


Other Branches
Traditionally I have listed only those branches with annual meetings described as synod or general assembly meetings. There are a number of branches with a single judicatory that form themselves as presbyteries. Some of these meet annually, some meet multiple times throughout the year. For information purposes, I am including a list here of some of those branches which I will update regularly as I track Presbyterian dynamics.

So that’s the list I am tracking at the moment. I will update as appropriate. If I have missed one, or have information wrong or incomplete, please provide the appropriate information and I will update the list.

I will again reference the series of articles I wrote as an introduction to Presbyterian General Assemblies nine years ago. My GA 101 series consists of the following

GA101: Preface
GA101: Introduction – Why in the world would anybody want to do it this way?
GA101: Connectionalism – The Presbyterian Big Picture
GA101: The Cast of Characters – A score card to identify the players
GA101: The Moderator – All Things In Moderation
GA101: Where does the GA business come from? – Incoming!
GA101: Doing the business of GA — Decently and in Order

So GA Junkies, this season continues to be a bit different with all combinations of in-person, hybrid or blended, and online meetings.

And it is nice to be back to a full GA season, even if this one is still a bit different. And as I know some denominations found, in finding alternate meeting styles last year the GA season my have been permanently changed. More on that later.

So stay decent and in order my friends.


A Very Different General Assembly Season 2020

Celtic cross logo

Yesterday May 1 – my official starting point for General Assembly Season. But as many of you are aware, this will be a very different General Assembly Season. With the Covid-19 virus circulating almost all of the early meetings have been cancelled or postponed. Many are simply listed as “postponed” with hopes of rescheduling in 2020. Some have specifically stated that they will not happen this year. Still waiting on a few and I will update as announcements are made.

So this is the line-up for General Assembly Season as I know it now. Please let me know if I have missed an announcement or a presbyterian branch.

Presbyterian Church of Malaysia logo


46th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Malaysia
23-25 March 2020
Postponed, date to be determined.


Presbyterian Church in Taiwan logo

65th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Taipei
21-24 April 2020
Postponed to a date not yet decided


Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago logo

60th Synod Annual General Meeting
Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago
April 2020 – Postponed Indefinitely



Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australian logo

Synod
The Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia
May 2020 – Postponed



Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad logo

45th General Assembly
Korean Presbyterian Church Abroad
5-7 May 2020
Orlando, Florida
Postponed to 4-6 May 2021
(I am seeing various info on this, still sorting through it)


Covenant Presbyterian Church logo

General Assembly & Family Camp
Covenant Presbyterian Church
5-9 May 2020
Westcliffe, Colorado


Presbyterian Church of Tasmania logo


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Tasmania
12 May 2020



Korean-American Presbyterian Church of the Americas logo

44th General Assembly
Korean-American Presbyterian Church of the Americas
12-15 May 2020
Cancun, Mexico
To be held by Videoconference


Church of Scotland seal

General Assembly
Church of Scotland
16-22 May 2020
Edinburgh
Cancelled (breaking an over 300 years streak of Assemblies)
There will be a service to install the new Moderator on May 16


Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) logo

General Assembly
Free Church of Scotland (Continuing)
18 May 2020
Edinburgh
The Assembly shall convene by teleconference and suspend the Assembly to reconvene on or about 6 October in Inverness


Free Church of Scotland logo

General Assembly
Free Church of Scotland
18-21 May 2020
Edinburgh
The Assembly will meet virtually this year with a single session the evening of Monday 18 May.


Presbyterian Church in Ireland logo


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Ireland
1-4 June 2020
Belfast
A Virtual meeting of the 2019 Assembly cancelled the 2020 Assembly – this is a break in a 180 year sting


87th General Assembly
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
3-9 June 2020
Eastern University
St. Davids, Pennsylvania
The 87th General Assembly has been postponed and will now convene on 2 June 2021


146th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Canada
7-11 June 2020
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario
The Assembly has been cancelled.


145th General Assembly
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America
7-12 June 2020 – Rescheduled 27 June – 2 July, 2021
Louisville, Kentucky
Concurrent with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church


190th General Assembly
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
7-12 June 2020 – Rescheduled 27 June – 2 July, 2021
Louisville, Kentucky
Concurrent with Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America


216th Stated Meeting of the General Synod
Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
9-11 June 2020 – Rescheduled 18-21 August 2020
Bonclarken Conference Center
Flat Rock, North Carolina



General Assembly
United Free Church of Scotland
10 June 2020
Perth
The Meeting has been cancelled



48th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in America
15-19 June 2020
Birmingham
Postponed to 29 June – 2 July 2021


224th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
20-27 June 2020
Baltimore
Will be held on-line with plenaries on June 19, 26, and 27


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Queensland
Including the Presbytery of South Australia
22 June 2020Rescheduled for September2020, date pending
Brisbane Boys’ College
Brisbane


40th General Assembly
Evangelical Presbyterian Church
23-26 June 2020
Hope Church, Cordova, TN
Rescheduled to September 17-18, 2020



189th Synod
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America
23-26 June 2020
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, Indiana
Cancelled as of 30 April


N.S.W. State Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Australia
in the State of New South Wales

13 July 2020 (begins)
Presbyterian Ladies’ College
Croydon, N.S.W.


Reformed Presbyterian International Conference
28 July to 3 August 2020
Indiana Wesleyan University
Marion, Indiana
Not an assembly or synod but a significant quadrennial gathering of Reformed Presbyterians
At this time still accepting reservations but may be cancelled shortly


Convocation of Sessions
Vanguard Presbytery
30 July 2020
Stephens Valley Church
Nashville, Tennessee
A meeting that is part of the development of a new denomination


84th General Synod
Bible Presbyterian Church
6-10 August 2020
Bible Presbyterian Church, Grand Island, NY


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Victoria
5 – 8 October 2020


General Assembly
Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand
7-11 October 2020
Lindisfarne College
Hastings
(biennial)
The Assembly has been postponed until October 2021


113th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church in Western Australia
23 October 2020 (begins)
St. Columba’s Church, Peppermint Grove


So that’s the list I am tracking at the moment. I will update as appropriate. If I have missed one, or have information wrong or incomplete, please provide the appropriate information and I will update the list.

I will again reference the series of articles I wrote as an introduction to Presbyterian General Assemblies eight years ago. My GA 101 series consists of the following

GA101: Preface
GA101: Introduction – Why in the world would anybody want to do it this way?
GA101: Connectionalism – The Presbyterian Big Picture
GA101: The Cast of Characters – A score card to identify the players
GA101: The Moderator – All Things In Moderation
GA101: Where does the GA business come from? – Incoming!
GA101: Doing the business of GA — Decently and in Order

So GA Junkies, this is a very different season. By my count, there are currently seven Assemblies or Synods that are still on as scheduled, seven that appear to be postponed to later in the year, two to happen by videoconference approximately as scheduled (not counting electronic meetings to decently and in order reschedule the meeting), and twelve that appear to be cancelled/rescheduled for next year. I am still collecting info and some of the later ones may yet be rescheduled as well. We will see.

So with that, I pray that you stay safe and healthy at this time and may it pass quickly. And for the hard-core GA Junkies out there may the withdrawal symptoms not be too bad and may you find something else to do to fill the time.

And finally, with the prospect of video GA’s coming up, I will start working on a Bingo Card for the occasion. Let me know if you have one and I will share all that I find.

So stay decent and in order my friends.


Presbyterian News Headlines For The First Half Of November 2014

OK, I’m falling behind again – but trying to catch up. So here are a few of the things that caught my attention back in November…

In the ongoing news story in Trinidad, initial demolition work on Greyfriars Church in Port-of-Spain was begun and after three hours halted. The contractor was reported as saying the work was only to open parts of the building so the engineers could inspect the structure. The owner said it was to remove a toxic roof. And to bring you up to date as of this writing nothing further has happened with the building as the community continues to discuss the future.

Greyfriars demolition stopped – from Guardian – Trinidad and Tobago

Contractor: No bid to demolish Greyfriars – from Trinidad Express

Owner of Greyfriars: Toxic roof removed from church hall – from Guardian – Trinidad and Tobago

In Scotland following the Independence Referendum, the British Government established a group to look at devolution of powers and home rule. This group, the Smith Commission, had a lot of input but comments from the Church of Scotland focused on what could be done locally to improve conditions for those in the lowest economic groups, as typified by this headline:

Group seeks powers over benefits – from The Courier

The Commission included a former Moderator of the General Assembly, Dr. Alison Elliot. More on the Commission and the Kirk’s input:

Cross-party Scottish home rule campaign launched – from BBC News

Church leaders want more power for Holyrood to help the needy – from Aberdeen Press & Journal

And along those same lines but in a different sphere:

Kirk poverty campaigner reflects on Vatican visit – Church of Scotland press release; “Martin Johnstone, the Church of Scotland’s Priority Areas Secretary, recently attended the first Global Meeting of Popular Movements hosted by the Vatican in Rome.”

It was interesting to see that the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, preached at the First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan, Connecticut.

Governor of Massachusetts to Preach at First Presbyterian Church of New Canaan – from New Canaan’s HamletHub

Two stories about saving historic churches. The first, the renovation of a building that has been vacant for 35 years that will soon house community and presbytery services and offices:

Collaborative $10M redevelopment will save historic KC church – from Kansas City Business Journal

The second, a church that saved its original structure from demolition and is renovating it to become a community space:

Presbyterians want to restore historic church for community gatherings – from press of Atlantic City

And a follow-up on that major archaeological discovery on Church of Scotland land:

Viking treasure finders reflect as first secrets are revealed – from Church of Scotland press release

A peek inside a Viking piggybank: CT scans of treasure chest reveal hidden brooches, gold ingots and ivory beads – from Daily Mail

That’s it for the news for now. On to other topics