The location was Nashville, a city filled with history and music, rebounding from a disastrous flood. The hosts were the nineteen churches of Nashville Presbytery who prepared for the PCA family with a concert of prayer and planning.
1, 311 commissioners filled the Convention Hall to deliberate and do the business of the church. To learn more of the discussion and actions of this Assembly, go to www.pcaac.org to find pictorial remembrances and the wide ranging issues that were before the commissioners.
Dr. Harry Reeder, pastor of the Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama, was elected without opposition as Moderator. His superb and charitable leadership was noted by all.
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The activities for wives of ruling and teaching elders were many:
- Specific times to gather for fellowship and prayer for the commissioners
- Selection from fifty-eight seminars ranging from godly grandparenting, how to understand and incorporate social networking into your ministry, the role of women as counselors, to looking at the minister and wife as they work in tandem in kingdom building.
- Bookstore time – meeting and greeting PCA women authors/seminar speakers
- Two days filled with programs designed to strengthen and encourage ministry marriages
- Relational opportunities to take tours ranging from an emphasis on mercy ministry to seeing sights of the Athens of the South; and time for being creative.
- A well planned and executed schedule for our children – one father wrote saying his children thought they were attending a great summer camp!
- Time to join other wives in the gallery to follow the discussion and debate on the Strategic Plan (see website listed above)
- The joy of family worship and the Indelible Grace hymn sing in the Ryman Auditorium added to our corporate fellowship.
Over 400 women attended Christian Education and Publications’ planned events. On Wednesday, they were given a beneficial glimpse filled with sweet transparency, into the challenges and opportunities of ministry and marriage. Darlene and Scotty Smith, Christ Community Church, Franklin, TN, along with Teresa Sugar, Director of Women’s Ministries, Christ Presbyterian Church, led us in testimony, strong teaching, and song. This was followed by a lovely luncheon planned by our Nashville hosts.
On Thursday morning, many of us enjoyed a time of refreshment, singing God’s praises and receiving outstanding teaching. Buddy Green, well known entertainer, and ruling PCA elder, brought his love for Jesus and the hymns of the church to encourage us in our Christian walk; Nancy Guthrie, noted author and Bible teacher, spoke to us on the hope and grace of being eternally yoked to the Solid Rock.
Many men, women, and children left Nashville and the 38th General Assembly of the PCA with a renewed appreciation for this city and for the servant hearts of so many who worked against great physical distractions to make us feel welcomed and cared for.
Now it is time to pray for and anticipate the 39th General Assembly, June 7- 10, 2011, in Virginia Beach, VA.