OUR NEXT DESTINATION...MEMPHIS, TN...that's right, we're headed to the Presbyterian Church in America's (now do you know why we usually use the initials PCA?) General Assembly tomorrow. For Ron, as a teaching elder, it is a week of meetings...listening to reports of committees, doing business of the denomination mixed with prayer and worship. He actually enjoys it. He enjoys hearing what God is doing in the Missions arm, the church planting arm, the Christian Education arm, etc. of the denomination. He runs into all kinds of people that he has worked with over the years in other churches, presbyteries at the presbytery level and sometimes on the mission field when we were working with a "faith" mission. We have friends that we see almost every year that we get to catch up with and people we never expect to see. It is always an interesting week from many perspectives. There is usually some big theological issue that is being hashed out on the floor. This year is no exception. There is a big study paper on a topic that I still don't know if I understand. The exciting thing is that here the issues are related to "What does God's Word have to say about this?". We served in another presbyterian denomination before this one was started and in many discussions, that was not the starting point. It became more and more frustrating. We still often have disagreements but at least we DO agree on our starting point. Often if things get tense on the floor, the moderator will take time out for prayer or singing of a hymn or two to change the focus. Have you ever heard a room full of about 1300+ men heartily singing hymns? There is nothing like it to warm your soul!
For the women, there are seminars, some luncheons, special speakers and the main gigantic book table that we can pore over for resources and booths from a variety of organizations (further resources). Some women watch the proceedings from the visitor's section. (That just doesn't happen to be my forte.) I find it very refreshing for me. It "fills my cup" and energizes me to go back home. I often have people I am looking up to get further information on certain topics where I need more help.
In the evenings--Tuesday through Thursday--there are wonderful worship services. Depending on the presbytery where General Assembly is held, the worship services are quite different. Usually they have a more traditional night, a more contemporary night and a more mixed night, but not always. The congregational singing is always fantastic. It is weighted more heavily male and they really sing. Some raise their hands in worship, some don't. I love that we don't all do it the same. I love that we have not thrown out the old hymns. Some of our people are putting new tunes to some of the old ones. Some I like, some I don't. I guess that's the way it is with changes. The evening worship services are a highlight. We have some wonderful preaching--sometimes well-known men, sometimes not.
Can you tell that I love to go to General Assembly. It is a wonderful week for both of us...for different reasons. We look forward to this week as well. At the end of the week, we'll take a few days in Franklin, TN with our daughter and her family there. Then we will head home with the books and information we have gathered and try to put it into practice:)