Applications being accepted for GA stated clerk

The Presbyterian Church (USA)’s Stated Clerk Nomination Committee (SCNC), elected by the 219^th General Assembly (2010) in Minneapolis, is now accepting applications for the four-year term (2012-2016) of the General Assembly stated clerk, the top ecclesiastical position in the denomination.

Applicants must be a PC(USA) Ruling Elder or Teaching Elder.

The stated clerk is an officer of the General Assembly, represents the denomination to ecumenical and interfaith bodies, and is the chief executive officer of the Office of the General Assembly.

The incumbent, the Rev. Gradye Parsons, was first elected in 2008 and is completing his first term. He is eligible for nomination to subsequent terms.

The SCNC will receive applications until Jan. 2, 2012, the deadline set by the Standing Rules of the General Assembly. The committee will review applications and interview candidates from January to April, and announce its nominee by May 1, 2012 ― 60 days prior to the convening of the 220^th General Assembly on June 30, 2012 in Pittsburgh.

Only one candidate will be nominated by the committee, although applicants not selected as the committee’s nominee may “be placed in nomination against the nominee of the committee” under procedures set forth in the Standing Rules.

The nine members of the SCNC include four past General Assembly commissioners, three persons from the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA), a representative from the General Assembly Mission Council, and a representative of mid-council staff.

The committee is moderated by Dennis Hughes (Edmonds, Wash.), a member of COGA. The other committee members are Reid Beveridge (Milton, Del.), Terry Epling (St. Louis, Mo.), Melissa Kirkpatrick (Gainesville, Va.), Dan Krebill (Bozeman, Mont.), Eileen W. Lindner (Tenafly, N.J.), Matthew Schramm (Bay City, Mich.), Vincent Thomas (Minneapolis, Minn.) and Judith Wellington (Albuquerque, N.M.).

An application form, Stated Clerk Position Description, General Assembly Standing Rules and other information will be available on the SCNC page on the 220^th General Assembly website (when that is active) or by contacting the staff resource person to the committee, Barbara Murphy by mail at 646 S Earlham St., Orange, CA 92869; by email; or by phone at (714) 742-4939.