What is it and What does it do?
The General Assembly consists of commissioners elected by presbyteries. Half of the commissioners will be ruling elders, half will be teaching elders. Few will ever have been commissioners to the General Assembly before, but most will have served in one of the other governing bodies of our church: the session, which provides care and oversight of a local congregation; the presbytery, which provides care and oversight of a group of congregations; or the synod which provides care and oversight of several presbyteries.
The General Assembly reviews the work of synods, resolves controversies in the church, is responsible for matters of common concern for the whole church, and serves as a symbol of unity for the church.
The General Assembly has several specific responsibilities outlined in Chapter 3 of the Book of Order. The assembly seeks to protect our church from errors in faith and practice, is responsible for assuring that the expression of our theology remains true to the biblical standards in our historic confessions. The General Assembly presents a witness for truth and justice in our community and in the world community. It set priorities for the church and establishes relationships with other churches or ecumenical bodies.
Book of Order 2019-2021 – Korean
Book of Order 2019-2021 – Spanish
224th General Assembly (2020) – June 20-27, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland
The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) meets biennially in even-numbered years. It consists of commissioners elected by each of its 172 presbyteries. The GA is full of activities: business sessions, committee meetings, an exhibit hall, daily worship services, and mission tours sponsored by the Committee on Local Arrangements.
The assembly acts on hundreds of items of business, which it receives through the reports and recommendations of various assembly entities, and through overtures from synods and presbyteries.
Lehigh Presbytery has elected the Rev. Stephen Emick as our Teaching Elder Commissioner, Ruling Elder Phyllis Walker as our Ruling Elder Commissioner, and McKenzie Christopher as our Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD).
PC-Biz —
PC-biz is the web program that has been designed to display and follow the business of a General Assembly meeting. This site contains the history of the business of all assemblies since 2006 as well as the 223nd assembly that will be held in St Louis.
The site was redesigned to be able to read the documents on computers, tablets and even smart phones.
PC-Biz includes the most current text of the overtures and other recommendations that have been forwarded to the assembly. Track each items of business as it moves through the assembly meeting, and see whether the recommendation was amended, approved, or did approved.
PC-biz site: https://www.pc-biz.org/#/
Office of the General Assembly homepage https://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/ga/
Assembly Website: https://ga-pcusa.org/
Hands & Feet – find out about the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA)’s Initiative and opportunities leading up to and during the 224th General Assembly – https://handsandfeet.pcusa.org/
Office of the General Assembly News & Statements – http://oga.pcusa.org/statements-news/
Presbyterian Outlook — www.pres-outlook.com
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — www.pcusa.org
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) news – https://www.pcusa.org/news/
Upcoming General Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
224th General Assembly (2020) – June 20-27, 2020 Baltimore
225th General Assembly (2022) – June 25 – July 2, 2022 Columbus
226th General Assembly (2024) – June 29 – July 6, 2024 Salt Lake City
223nd General Assembly (2018) – June 16-23, 2018 St. Louis, Missouri
Lehigh Presbytery sent one Teaching Elder Commissioner, one Ruling Elder Commissioner, and one Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD).
- Teaching Elder Sue Marie Baskette
- Ruling Elder Nicole Vogel
- YAAD Britney Daniel