As you know, the General Assembly is coming to San Jose next month -Fri, June 20 - Sat, June 28.

This is by far the closest G.A. is ever likely to come - so it's your easiest chance to see our national church in action. I should warn you, though, that if you go you may get hooked and want to attend every time!

All the information about the G.A. is posted on a special website. It has links to the detailed schedule, lists of all business ticket information, and everything else you might need to know. Of course, we've also tried to summarize relevant information on our website as well.

I hope you can take part in this family gathering of Presbyterians!

All G.A.'s are important . . .and this one has the potential to do a lot of good or some serious mischief.

The theme this year is Micah's exhortation to "Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly with your God." The G.A. will have many chances to do just that - including through various overtures by our three NorCal presbyteries. If you attend on Monday or Tuesday, you can support our Overture Advocates, including Deana Reed, Will McGarvey, Doreen Der-McLeod, Anora Shaw, Walt Davis (and I know I'm forgetting some).

Among other things, Covenant Network will be working hard both for an overture that would restore the Authoritative Interpretation that San Francisco Presbytery used to advance Lisa Larges - and for overtures to get rid of "Amendment B" entirely. These and related matters will be considered by Committee 5, Church Orders and Ministry.

Ways for you to participate

1. Attend the opening worship service, Sunday, June 22 at 10 a.m. When else can you join 6,000 or so Presbyterians singing, praying, and communing together? Full information is on the COLA website. Your congregation may already be planning to carpool and come. Note: This is the one event for which you don't need to register.
   
   
2. Register as an Observer and come watch for a few hours or a few days. On-site registration is $20 for the whole week. Times you might particularly want to come include Saturday night, June 21 - Election of the Moderator There are four candidates, including San Francisco's own endorsed candidate, Bruce Reyes-Chow. All four candidates will speak and answer questions from the floor. This is always an intense and interesting time!
   
   Monday and Tuesday, June 23 and 24 - All the various business at G.A. is considered initially by one of 17 committees. Their meetings are all open. You can see what committees will discuss issues you're especially interested in at the PC-Biz site. (Choose the "Committees" tab.) Most committees will hold open hearings on Monday at which anyone who wants to can sign up to speak. This offers a fascinating (or occasionally depressing) insight into our church! Note that if you come on Monday you can also attend the Covenant Network G.A. Luncheon, with John Buchanan and Harry Knox. The luncheon is always an inspiring gathering. See below under #5.
   
   The most contentious business (guess where ours falls) is usually voted on by the whole G.A. on Friday. This year, Friday morning, June 27, also includes the very important election of the G.A. Stated Clerk , replacing Cliff Kirkpatrick, who is stepping down after 12 years.
   
   
3. Volunteer with the Committee on Local Arrangements (COLA). See their website for information. You can work from a few hours to all week, offering hospitality to the thousands of Presbyterians from all over the country who'll be converging on San Jose. One major benefit: Your volunteer badge gets you into G.A. all week for free.
   
   
4. Volunteer with Covenant Network. We'll have a booth (#105) in the Exhibit Hall and would welcome volunteers. Contact my colleague Karla Lemon <mailto:karlalemon@covenantnetwork.org?subject=> if you can give us a few hours. We can also use a few folks to help with our public events.
   
   Speaking of which -
   
5. Attend our Convocation Dinner Friday night, June 20, with former G.A. Moderator Susan Andrews speaking. Or, come to our G.A. Luncheon on Monday, June 23. Meet hundreds of Covenant Network friends from around the country and hear former G.A. Moderator John Buchanan, Editor and Publisher of The Christian Century and Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Harry Knox, Director of the Religion and Faith program of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), will also speak.
   
   There are dozens of other breakfasts, lunches, dinners, dances, and gatherings during the week. Scan the full schedule and then decide what (in addition to our luncheon!) you want to attend :) - Warning: we and everyone else who plans G.A. events are still in shock over San Jose prices. Sorry about that!
   
   You can order tickets for events through the G.A. tickets website. (Scroll down past the Registration notice.) NOTE that advance ticket sales close next Monday, May 19 -so make up your mind this week! - You can also stand in line in San Jose and buy them at the registration desk.
   
   
6. While you're there to observe committee meetings or open hearings - or the plenary sessions later in the week - take some time to visit the Exhibit Hall. All the denomination's specialized ministry units have booths; so do we and lots of other advocacy groups. Also Cokesbury, the Presbyterian Publishing Corp., and a Global Marketplace (indigenous crafts etc) at which you could easily take care of all your Christmas shopping.
   

A practical note: You really don't want to pay for parking at the Convention Center. See some transportation options, using trains and local light rail, here. There's more detail at the very end of this message. (Do confirm it online.)

Whether you come in person or just attend from afar, please pray for our commissioners and for the whole G.A. - for discernment and openness and hopeful hearts. As we celebrate the Spirit's power in the newborn church at Pentecost, I pray that that same Spirit will be with us all in San Jose.

See you there!

Faithfully yours,

:)

Pam