by Kathy Martin, Ruling Elder and Commissioner to the 225th General Assembly
The Beloved Community
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
I have just returned from completing my committee work at the GA in Louisville. What a wonderful and rewarding experience it was! The staff and resource people at the Presbyterian Center are outstanding! It was a joy to meet and corroborate with other Presbyterians from around the country!
I was on the Standing Rules Committee. Sounds boring, right, but it was not. From the beginning, we had quite an agenda of thirty-eight items. It was amazing to witness the motivation of thirty-four individuals focusing on the task at hand and achieving the work that was before us. It was obvious that the Holy Spirit was in the room moving with us.
The committee’s business was to approve or disapprove changes to Standing Rules brought before it by the Committee of the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) via the thirty-eight amendments. We were very cognizant of being inclusive to everyone and to ensure the correct wording when amending the rules. We were concerned about being good stewards and the financial implications of our actions. The Standing Rules Committee changed proposed amendments. Example: Changing the age limit of Young Adult Advisory Delegates (YAAD) to 18 through 26. The purpose of increasing the age limit was to reduce the cost of supervising minors. Committee members are already receiving feedback on this issue.
I appreciate the Cincinnati Presbytery for giving me this opportunity to participate in the 225th GA and look forward to next week’s Plenary voting.
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