PCA General Assembly in June: See You in St. Louis
By Bryan Chapell
PCA General Assembly in June

The following letter was just released by Stated Clerk Pro Tempore Bryan Chapell:

At its meeting today the PCA Administrative Committee (AC) has affirmed its plan for our General Assembly (GA) to meet June 28-July 2 in St. Louis. The AC voted to proceed with the Assembly as originally calendared after continuing to consult the latest, emerging data of the Center for Disease Control, as well as multiple other Covid-19 trackers, medical personnel, and government representatives.

For those who have walked with us toward this decision through regular AC updates, you know that we have needed to assess many factors bearing on our gathering: the potential health issues for God’s people of differing ages, the national and local government standards for large group meetings, our contract obligations and witness with St. Louis convention businesses, national and local vaccination rates, and the importance of our Assembly for advancing the ministry and mission of the PCA. All these factors have needed continual reassessment in the changing statistical, medical, and government environment of Covid-19.

Having considered these many factors, we believe the PCA General Assembly needs to happen as planned, not only because important church business needs to be addressed, but also for the spiritual health and relational encouragement of our PCA leaders, many of whom have labored for over a year under pressures of isolation and difficult decisions. Our PCA partners in St. Louis are deep into preparations for our arrival. Commissioner registrations echo the readiness of our people to gather, with over 1,200 registrations to date – at pace with a “near record” year at this point. New infection rates are expected to be very low by late June with vaccinations available to all adults who are willing to receive them. The St. Louis city government has approved our facilities-use plan, and similarly sized groups are meeting in the convention center prior to, after, and simultaneously with our GA.

Even though we are eagerly anticipating conducting regular GA business, commissioners should expect a significantly different experience from prior Assemblies. City approvals for June were made with the expectation that the local government will continue to have social distancing measures in effect: six feet of distance between all commissioners, mask wearing, and dining with Covid-19 measures in effect. Our meeting spaces will be vast beyond precedent if all social distancing standards persist into late June. Things could change, but please come expecting such safety measures.

The AC staff is committed to making this General Assembly a great experience for everyone attending, and we are working hard to implement ideas that will enhance communication and participation, even with the large spaces and social distancing anticipated. We are aware of the significant differences in thought regarding such things as masks, but will seek to help commissioners be mindful of the reasonable compliance that the convention businesses need us to honor in order for them to be able to host us. If you have health concerns for yourself or others, please trust the Lord to provide brothers who can represent your views for our important decisions and stay safe at home.

The entire PCA remains exceedingly grateful for the St. Louis Host Committee (especially its Chairman, Phil VanValkenburg) and AC staff members who have needed to exert unprecedented energies to convene medical panels, consult government officials, plan for multiple contingencies, and trust the Lord through the many unanticipated events of the past year. As our church gathers for Christ’s ministry and mission in St. Louis, we can be thankful for the strong witness already exhibited by these brothers and sisters who have worked sacrificially on our behalf.

Activities for spouses and families that accompany our General Assembly will need to be significantly curtailed. The host committee anticipates finalizing the activities for spouses and families early next week, and we will email all commissioners once Women and Family registration is open.

As I have previously written, in this complex situation your AC representatives from across our church have made a judgment call regarding the timing of General Assembly with the awareness that sincere and godly brothers and sisters may reasonably differ with our decision. We want to continue to communicate respect for such differences, as we have sought to do with the regular updates of the data and processes that have guided us in carrying out this responsibility committed to the AC by the PCA.

As our church now advances toward her 48th General Assembly with the cause of the Gospel our priority, we read with fresh poignancy this prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Thessalonian church:

Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. (1 Thess. 3:11-13)

With this dear prayer the Apostle reminds us that as Christ calls His church to orthodoxy of doctrine, so also He calls us to orthodoxy of community. Only by loving as He loves does He establish through us the witness that He requires to portray His truth and grace with integrity. Please begin now to pray earnestly that Christ would display His indwelling Spirit through the work, worship, and relationships of the PCA’s 48th General Assembly. May the world witness in us that alternate society blessed by the rule of Christ.

See You in St. Louis,

Bryan

P.S. We sincerely thank our PCA commissioners who are preparing for Christ’s work with understanding and with commitment to flexibility in serving His purposes. If you haven’t already registered for General Assembly, we would encourage you to register now at https://pcaga.org/register-now/. The Marriott host hotel and Embassy Suites are full and the Hyatt is filling. We are scheduling for a full docket of General Assembly activities, and are still attempting to handle the most significant items on Wednesday and Thursday with the hope of serving elders with tight schedules (please find the latest GA docket here: https://pcaga.org/resources/#schedule). We look forward to seeing you in St. Louis!

Bryan Chapell
Stated Clerk Pro Tempore
Presbyterian Church in America
1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105
Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8143
Phone 678-825-1000


This announcement follows the approval of the motion below:

RECOMMENDATION:

That the Administrative Committee affirm the decision to proceed with the meeting of the 48th General Assembly in St. Louis, MO, June 29-July 2, 2021.

GROUNDS:

  • New COVID-19 infection rates are expected to be very low by late June with vaccinations available for all who will receive them by late May.
  • The St. Louis and Missouri governmental and health authorities continue to lessen restrictions on gathering and social distancing; and they have approved our “Experience Plan” for meeting.
  • The Americas Center and our contracted hotels are encouraged that these dates will be beneficial and effective for our meeting.
  • Our people are ready to gather with registrations near record numbers for this time of year.
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