The 225th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA will meet in Louisville, Kentucky, June 18 – July 9, 2022. Denver Presbytery sends four Commissioners (two Ministers of Word and Sacrament and two Ruling Elders) and one Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD) to each General Assembly. We are searching for a Minister of Word and Sacrament and a YADD to join three previously elected Commissioners. It will also be necessary to elect one alternate minister and elder.
In 2019 four Commissioners, two alternates and one YAAD were elected to represent Denver Presbytery at the 224th General Assembly, held virtually over four days in June 2020. Due to the abbreviated nature of that General Assembly (COVID-19 precautions), Presbytery asked the same commissioners to represent us at the upcoming 225th General Assembly in 2022. One of the previously selected Commissioners and the YADD are not able to participate next year.
Next year’s General Assembly will be a hybrid meeting, with committees meeting in-person between June 18 and July 4. Plenary sessions will be held virtually and in-person on June 18th and virtually between July 5 and July 9th. There will be a total of 10 days of committee and plenary service. Commissioners elected by the Presbytery are asked to place a tentative hold on their calendars from June 17-July 9, 2022, until committee assignments are made (by late February 2022). Once assignments are made, participants may clear any days their assigned committee will not be meeting. All commissioners and advisory delegates are expected to attend the worship and plenary sessions scheduled during the week of July 5-9. See the full docket here.
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 General 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 also expect Commissioners and YAADs to report on the General Assembly activities at an appropriate meeting of Presbytery and speak upon request to forums, congregations, and Sessions.
There are eligibility criteria for each type of commissioner. 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 have been a member of a church in the Denver Presbytery for at least two years by the time of the General Assembly. The church of the elder’s current membership should have had commissioner representation at six of the last ten Presbytery Assemblies.
All church Sessions will be invited to submit an endorsement of a young adult, who is age 18-23 years on the date the General Assembly convenes and who meets the General Assembly age eligibility. The young adult will also submit a self-nomination.
We ask that you give prayerful consideration to seek becoming a General Assembly Commissioner Alternate or Young Adult Advisory Delegate. Commissioners and the YAAD will be elected at the October 2021 Presbytery Assembly. The Presbytery of Denver policy governing applications can be found at this link.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 17, 2021.
What is my time commitment for the 225th General Assembly?
In conversations across the church, many are asking that question as the hybrid General Assembly will cover a three-week period, June 18 – July 9, 2022. Commissioners and Advisory Delegates will spend 10 days in plenary sessions and committee work.
In this special edition of “On the Road to GA”, the Office of the General Assembly breaks down the schedule to give potential commissioners and advisory delegates a clearer picture of their time commitments.