Heath Rada, un anciano gobernante retirado que sirvió en la Cruz Roja Americana como CEO del capítulo de Greater Richmond y como presidente de la Escuela Presbiteriana de Educación Cristiana, fue elegido moderador de la 221a Asamblea General (2014) de la Iglesia Presbiteriana (EE.UU.) la noche del sábado (14 de junio) en la primera ronda de votación.
La persona que servirá como vice moderadora será Larissa Kwong Abazia, de la Iglesia de Forest Hills, una congregación multicultural, multiétnica, en Queens, Nueva York. Rada recibió el 52 por ciento, o 331 de los votos. John Wilkinson terminó en segundo lugar con 157 votos (25 por ciento), mientras que Kelly Allen fue tercero con 143 votos (23 por ciento).
El sonido de las gaitas lleno el salón este sábado al comienzo de la 221a Asamblea General (2014) de la Iglesia Presbiteriana (EE.UU.) que abrió con un servicio conciliador de comunión que celebra el tema de «Rebozo de Esperanza».
Uno de los puntos culminantes de cada asamblea es el culto de apertura, que modela una amplitud de estilos de adoración y música, y con frecuencia, establece el tono de la reunión.
From Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to New Beginnings to Young Adult Volunteers and more, the Presbyterian Mission Agency outlined for commissioners to the 221st General Assembly (2014) the many ways it serves the needs of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
“Christ says that the church will get all it needs, and we tend to think of this in terms of money, budgets, buildings and programs,” Linda Valentine, PMA executive director, told commissioners. “But Jesus is saying that we are the resources. We are the church. We are the change. We have the Holy Spirit. The people are the body of Christ.”
Heath Rada, a retired ruling elder who served the American Red Cross as CEO of the Greater Richmond chapter and president of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education, was elected moderator of the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Saturday evening (June 14) on the first ballot.
Serving with him as vice moderator will be Larissa Kwong Abazia, Church of Forest Hills, a multicultural, multiethnic congregation in Queens, New York.
The initiative that started a church-wide movement celebrates at its roots.
The movement to add 1001 new worshiping communities in 10 years was first approved at the 220th General Assembly (2012) in Pittsburgh. Now two years later at the 221st General Assembly (2014), there is rejoicing over 247 new worshiping communities that are part of the fold.
Behind the scenes Saturday night, General Assembly staff was scrambling – decently and in order, of course – to solve technology challenges leading up to the election of the next moderator.
And outside the hall, officials were faced with an unrelated technological challenge as the People Mover, used by many Assembly attendees to travel back-and-forth, was out of service due to a reported power outage.
Just before he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the Lincoln Memorial on the Washington Mall, Martin Luther King had a similar vision for a crowd in Detroit.
“We will no longer sell our birthright of freedom. We are through with segregation now, henceforth and forever more,” King said on June 23, 1963, six weeks before his more famous speech. The Detroit audience gave him a prolonged ovation.
Even before the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) officially started, a series of Riverside Conversations Saturday morning gave commissioners and advisory delegates the opportunity to hear background and ask questions on some of the top issues they'll be addressing.
Two separate sessions were held, covering six issues: the Mid-Council Commission Report, the Confession of Belhar, Christian Marriage in the PC(USA), Mission Responsibility through Investment recommendations on engagement and divestment, moderatorial candidate introductions and Equipping the Church for Ministry with God's Diverse Family.
A banner boldly calling all to “Abound in Hope,” the theme for this year’s denominational gathering, welcomes visitors as they enter the Exhibit Hall of the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
While organizers did their best to make the 148,000 square-foot Oakland Hall representative of the theme, Exhibit Hall Manager Andrew Yeager-Buckley said they hope it also abounds with functionality, information and accessibility.
The sound of bagpipes filled the hall Saturday as the 221st General Assembly (2014) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) opened with an eclectic service of communion celebrating the "Abound in Hope" theme.
One of the highpoints of each Assembly is the opening worship, which models a breadth of worship styles and music and often sets the tone for the gathering.