NewsIndex

218th General Assembly Guided by Theme:
"Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly with God."

The Meeting of the 218th General Assembly is now over and the commissioners are all back home getting some much needed rest.

The Rev. Dan Williams, pastor of the Staunton Second church and minister commissioner and Vice Chair of the Form of Government Committee, suggested his experience was what he imagined running in a marathon was like. Many days began at 7:00am and ended around midnight. And there was all the preparation before you arrived.

Mary Lou Cox, an elder (Circleville church) commissioner from Shenandoah said, "I did as much preparation as I could absorb before going. There is always so much reading to learn about the issues on which you will have to vote. And then there is the whole legislative experience to work within as well." Mary Lou served on the committee considering Peacemaking issues, Middle East concerns and Iraq.

The Rev. Sarah Hill, pastor of the Broadway church and minister commissioner, served on the Health Issues committee. Her committee addressed concerns about HIV/AIDS, funding for information for pro-life and pro-choice stances, funding to help study serious mental illness and help for those who have been abused.

Shenandoah's other commissioners included the Rev. Rich Reifsnyder (Winchester 1st), Paul Dana (Tinkling Spring) and Mack Wilson (Mossy Creek). Youth Advisory delegate Emily Peterson (Covenant) and Theological Student Advisory Delegate Emily Miller served as well.

The Overture from Shenandoah on re-establishing the World Mission seasonal offering was passed by committee and sent on to the Assembly where it was defeated. Advocate Homer Cornish represented the presbytery's position before the committee but was unable to speak before the assembly.

The Assembly also agreed to endorse the Dallas Covenant on a call to mission partnerships "An Invitation to Expanding Partnership in God's Mission." Details on all the issues are available online at www.pcusa.org/ga218 .

Clean-Up Buckets and Money Go to Help Flood Victims

Another 100 year flood so soon? This is a question asked many times by the residents of states along the Mississippi River as the waters rose and levies were breached releasing water over miles of towns, cities and farmland.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance broadcast an Urgent Appeal for assistance in the form of Gift of the Heart Clean-Up Buckets in late June. In response to Shenandoah's Disaster Response Team challenge, some 87 buckets were assembled and delivered to the collection locations by Monday, June 30th.

On Monday, June 30, the buckets were delivered to Dave and Carolyn Thalman’s home where they were loaded from the van and trailer into Dave’s truck. They filled the entire bed and some went into the extended cab area. Dave gathered more en route to the New Windsor, MD warehouse for Church World Service. Thanks to your efforts, Shenandoah assembled 87 buckets on a week’s notice!

Many churches were able to send funds for Disaster Relief to PDA. An estimate of close to $10,000 was offered, although no accounting is possible since funds were sent both to the presbytery and directly to PDA.

A special thanks from the DRT goes to all the churches for their response to help neighbors in need. A special thank you also goes to the Massanutten Church and to Boy Scout Troop 28 for the use of their van and trailer.