Presbyterian Church in America convenes in Dallas for 36th General Assembly The Layman Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Over 1,100 commissioners of the Presbyterian Church in America convened Tuesday evening for their 36th General Assembly with a worship service at the Hyatt Regency in Dallas, Texas with the theme "Proclaim the Gospel of Grace." Two hundred ninety-one ruling elders (REs) and 840 teaching elders (TEs) gathered to begin their General Assembly with a worship service of singing, preaching and communion. The service featured the full-throated singing of the largely male gathering, accompanied by a brass orchestra, piano, organ and choir. Outgoing Moderator E. J. Nusbaum, ruling elder in Village Seven Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, delivered a sermon "Transformed Leadership" based on Romans 12:1-3. It addressed the need for leadership to reflect the values of the Kingdom of God. After worship, the delegates elected Dr. Paul Kooistra, former president of Covenant Seminary, St. Louis, as moderator. Other moderators nominated from the floor were Dr. Tom Kay, retired minister from First Presbyterian Church Aliceville, Alabama, and Dr. O. Palmer Robertson, professor emeritus of African Bible University in Uganda, Africa. Four of the 19 overtures facing the commissioners address the issue of deaconesses, or women serving as ordained deacons. In Overture 9, the Philadelphia Presbytery has requested a creation of a study committee to examine "Scriptural teaching bearing on women's eligibility for election and ordination to the office of deacon." The proposed committee would report their findings and any recommended changes necessary to the Book of Church Order (BCO) to the 2009 General Assembly. Reverend John W. Robertson, PCA business administrator, told The Layman that the attendance for the PCA "is driven by issues and location." Robertson pointed to 2002 PCA GA in Birmingham addressing the issue of "Honest vs. Strict Subscription" as a high attendance mark with 1550 registrants. While the majority PCA members reside in the Southeastern U.S., Robertson noted that one in seven PCA members resides in Florida. He attributes the shift to retirement of member and clergy as well as church plants. The PCA GA is scheduled to recess at noon on Friday.

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