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218th
General
Assembly
2008
Events |
| We hope you'll join us for these
... Witherspoon events at the 218th
General Assembly
[corrected on 3-14-08]
Friday, June 20, 1:00 to 3:30 pm
Semper Reformanda Pre-Assembly Conversation
(sponsored by the Witherspoon Society)
This is an occasion for progressive
Presbyterians to gather informally as they begin to arrive for
the General Assembly, to talk about issues coming to the
Assembly and other concerns. Special speakers will include Rita
Nakashima Brock and Noelle Damico.
Dr. Brock has written extensively on issues of
justice, including human trafficking in Southeast Asia. She will
touch on themes discussed in her forthcoming book (with Rebecca
Parker) entitled Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded
Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire.
Pre-publication copies of the book should be available.
Noelle Damico is director of the Presbyterian
Hunger Program's Fair Food campaign, and the PC(USA)'s liaison
with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in their campaign for
improved wages and working conditions in Florida's tomato
fields.
Ramada Limited "Upper
Room," 455 S. 2nd Street, San Jose
Tickets will be free for TSADs, $15 for
others.
Saturday, June 21, 7:00 to 9:30 am
Commissioners' Orientation Breakfast
This breakfast meeting is offered especially
for GA commissioners and others who will be involved in the
Assembly. Brief presentations will be given on the many
important issues coming before the Assembly – analyzing them
from a progressive point of view.
It will also give you a good chance to get
acquainted with other commissioners.
Ramada Limited "Upper
Room," 455 S. 2nd Street, San Jose
The event is free for commissioners and advisory delegates.
Others are warmly invited. Tickets
$15.
Sunday, June 22, 12:30 to 3:00 pm
Witherspoon Awards Luncheon
The keynote speaker is Carol Hovis, who is the
Executive Director of the Marin Interfaith Council and an
ordained Presbyterian Minister, member of Redwoods Presbytery.
Out of her experience she will address the intersection of
interfaith relationships and peace & justice advocacy.
The Andrew Murray Award will be presented to the
Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, an outstanding leader of the
Presbyterian Church (USA), as he retires as Stated Clerk.
The Whole Gospel Congregation Award will be given to a
congregation in the Bay Area.
Fairmont Hotel
Tickets $45.
Tuesday, June 24, 9:00pm-1:00am
Witherspoon Party and Dance!
Time for a break! This is a great chance to
relax and enjoy great music, dancing and conversation – and an
informal place to meet and mingle with others at the Assembly.
Fairmont Hotel
Tickets $20
Finding the “Upper Room”
is easy. It is at the Ramada Limited, where most of the Witherspoon
board members will be staying, at 455 South 2nd Street, about a five
minute walk from the Convention Center. Just go north-east on San
Salvador St., just across Market St. from the Convention Center.
Turn right on Second St., and go about a half block southeast. The
Ramada Inn will be on your left; the stairs to the Upper Room are
toward the far end of the complex.
Tickets can be ordered from the G. A.
Ticket Service. They prefer that you order on-line at
www.pcusa.org/ga218. Or
you can call 888-728-7228, ext. 2417. You do not have to
register in order to buy tickets.
Click here to register for the General Assembly – or just to
order tickets for some of the special events.
But be warned – The registration page begins with
this advice:
You will be able to order tickets only
(if you do not need accommodations), or proceed with
advance registration, to request lodging, order tickets,
etc.
Once you start the registration process, you cannot
exit and start over.
Know your travel plans (arrival and departure dates
in San Jose) if you are requesting a hotel reservation.
Have your method of payment for the $60 registration
fee, ticket fees, etc.
We accept American Express, MasterCard and Visa; you
may complete your initial registration on-line and mail
a check for fees, but your registration will NOT be
processed until the check is received and matched with
your registration.
Review the information about the optional events so
you can be ready to purchase tickets for those you wish
to attend. |
Click here for
the full schedule of all Assembly events, official and
otherwise.For easier reference, you
can also
download a printable schedule of all events, in PDF format
(27 pages) |
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Visit
our lively
new website! |
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
gift online, using your credit card, through PayPal.
Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
Darcy Hawk
4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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