The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will meet in Baltimore, Maryland June 20 – 27, 2020. Denver Presbytery sends four Commissioners (two each Ministers of Word and Sacrament and two Ruling Elders) and one Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD) to each assembly, with the selection of these candidates beginning in the summer of 2019.
Being a Commissioner or YAAD is a wonderful opportunity to serve Christ’s church and to enrich your theological, social and spiritual life. However, it will entail some hard work. There will be extensive advance preparation for the Assembly, possibly as much as 80 hours of reading and study. Nearly all reports, agendas, dockets and other documents will primarily be available electronically. You will need the skills and electronic devices to access these materials. We will ask each Commissioner and YAAD to attend the entire eight days of the General Assembly sessions. We will also expect Commissioners and YAADs to report on the General Assembly at an appropriate meeting of Presbytery and speak upon request to forums, congregations and Sessions.
Additionally, there is other criteria for each category of commissioners. Ministers should be an active or at-large member of the presbytery for at least two years by the time of the election by the presbytery to the General Assembly, and must have been ordained for at least three years by the time of the General Assembly. A minister should have attended six out of the last ten Presbytery assemblies.
Ruling Elders must be a member of one or more of Denver Presbytery’s churches for at least two years by the time of the Assembly. The church of the elder’s current membership should have had commissioner representation at six of the last ten Presbytery assemblies.
All sessions will be invited to submit an endorsement of a young adult, who is age 17-23 on the date the assembly convenes, who meets the GA age eligibility. The young adult will also submit a self-nomination.
In the near future a separate announcement with details on how to apply for this important service opportunity will be sent out to the entire Presbytery. We ask that you give prayerful consideration to seek becoming a General Assembly Commissioner or Young Adult Advisory Delegate. Commissioners and the YAAD will be elected at the October 2019 Presbytery Assembly. The Denver Presbytery policy governing applications can be found at this link.