I am attending the meeting of the General Assembly next week. And I am looking forward to it.  Whoever thought I might put those two sentences back to back. An oxymoronic reality.

A little background before I get on the plane to Denver early Monday evening.

General assemblies are Presbyterian things, a court or council of the larger church.  In our former denomination the general assembly was the highest court of the church with synods, presbyteries, and sessions further down the food chain. Its meetings could be cumbersome and bureaucratic, outsiders not to feel much welcome. The EPC has wisely nixed the archaic synod, so by Book of Order definition, “The General Assembly, composed of all the courts and local churches of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, expresses the unity and relatedness of all the parts. It has the responsibility of overseeing the total work of the Church.” Pastors, elders, and visitors alike. EPC general assemblies are joy-filled and welcoming. Continue reading →