GA Daily Dispatch

July 4, 2010

Today at GA began for us like most Sundays – we gathered with the congregation to worship. Okay, this congregation was just a bit bigger than we are accustomed to, some 7,000 strong. And at more than 2 hours, it went just a bit longer than most of our worship services – but where would we need to be going, anyway? Many of the worshipers were from local congregations that decided to cancel Sunday services in order to join the General Assembly. Some of our congregations in Pittsburgh may do the same when we host GA in 2012.

After lunch, the 19 GA committees met for the first time, with a major item of “business” being for each committee to do some group building. This way, by the time it begins to discuss matters on which it will be voting, members of each committee have already come to know and respect one another as sisters and brothers in Christ.

Late in the afternoon, the Assembly shuttled out to Nicollet Island, which had been rented out for our Assembly’s exclusive use. (I didn’t know you could rent commercial islands like that!) There we enjoyed a grand picnic together with lots of live music entertainment, Moderator Cindy Bolbach was given a festive reception, and the capstone of the evening was enjoying one of the best vistas in Minneapolis for the Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza.

All told, it was a long day, but a great way to begin life together as a General Assembly. Tomorrow the Assembly gets down to business in earnest, with three long business sessions for each committee – first in the morning, then a second session that lasts the afternoon, with a final meeting going well into the night. Our commissioners are already feeling the stretch of long and full days – pray for their stamina and good cheer in the days to come, and especially for their being able to sense the direction of the Holy Spirit in matters that arise before them.

In Christ’s strength,

The Rev. Dr. Sheldon W. Sorge, Pastor to Presbytery

P.S. Please note that ongoing updates of GA News from the General Assembly’s Office of Communications are posted at http://ga219.pcusa.org/.

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