General Assembly Council will meet in Montreat
The Layman Online, September 23, 2003
The General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will meet Wednesday through Saturday at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, N.C.
The executive committee of the council will begin meeting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, while the opening plenary for all of the GAC members will begin at 3 p.m.
Thursday and Friday will be divided between meetings of the various committees of the GAC – Congregational, National and Worldwide Ministries Divisions, Mission Support Services and audit – and plenary sessions where council members will discuss “major topic work” in small groups.
The major topic work is a new item on the council’s agenda.
In his letter to council members, GAC Chair Vernon Carroll said the latest self-assessment process completed by the council indicated that a major concern of council members was “the lack of time we spend on the important issues and the lack of ‘ownership’ you feel in the final decision.”
Carroll continued that to address the concern, “we believe that we need to narrow our focus to one of two major topics, providing adequate time for informed discussion and reflection. Spending a major portion of time on the one or two major topics should provide us with the kind of understanding that will allow us to make informed decisions.”
On Saturday, the GAC plenary will begin at 9:30, when council members will hear reports from the division committees, the executive and nominating committees, and a report from Moderator Susan Andrews.
The General Assembly Council is an elected body of 72 ministers and elders responsible to the General Assembly. It advises and responds to the assembly on priorities, programs and strategies for the ministry and mission of the Presbyterian Church (USA).