Stated Clerk issues statement on Gaza-Israel crisis

The following statement is from Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in response to the Gaza-Israel crisis.

Whether Jew, Muslim, or Christian, we share commandments of love for God and neighbor. Therefore, all violence in Gaza, Israel, and the West Bank must stop. Whatever its stated justifications, we know from years of conflict in the region that the resort to violence inevitably leaves behind death, injury, fear, and deepened feelings of hostility.

Read the Stated Clerk's entire statement on the Gaza-Israel crisis.

Prayer for Peace in Gaza

December 30, 2008

Even as we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, we are anguished by stories of violence and conflict once again in Gaza. Citizens and soldiers, young people and old are wounded and killed. We see how violence begets violence, as an eye for an eye leads not to peace, but to deeper blindness. We pray fervently for peace, for a New Year marked by a willingness and commitment to put violence aside and a desire and dedication to seek new relationships of peace. We pray that governments and leaders here and there and around the world will use whatever influence they may have as peacemakers, and that we, too will have courage and faith to pray without ceasing and to be agents of justice and peace for all.

Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator
Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk
Linda Valentine, Executive Director, General Assembly Council

Learn more about Israel and Palestine.

Stated Clerk commends the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Subway on agreement

On December 3, Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, issued a statement following the agreement reached between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and SUBWAY® restaurant chain to improve wages and working conditions for farmworkers in the Florida tomato fields.

Parsons said, "As the largest purchaser of Florida tomatoes in the fast-food industry, Subway’s decision sends an unmistakable message to the rest of the retail food industry and to Florida growers: The industry can and must ensure human rights for farmworkers."

Read the Stated Clerk's statement on the agreement between CIW and Subway.

Parsons sends letter to President-elect Obama

Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, has written President-elect Barack Obama to convey the PC(USA)'s "hopes and prayers" for his upcoming presidency.

Parsons writes, "Offering encouragement is something that Presbyterians have done to each of the forty-three Presidents who preceded you. Please know always that your faith and spirit are being supported with the individual and congregational prayers of the church all across the nation. Your job as President is lonely, but you are not alone."

Read the Stated Clerk's letter to President-elect Obama.

Stated Clerk reminds the church of 1 Cor. 6:7 in recent letter to executives and stated clerks

In a November 18 letter to presbytery and synod executives and stated clerks, Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, addressed inaccuracies in a letter that was sent to PC(USA) moderators and clerks of sessions by the Presbyterian Lay Committee.

Parsons wrote, "The purpose of this letter is to speak to ... errors and misunderstandings" contained in the PLC piece.

Read the Stated Clerk's letter to presbytery and synod executives and stated clerks.

Tom Hay will be new director of operations in the Office of the General Assembly

The Reverend Dr. Thomas D. Hay has been selected to become director of operations for the Office of the General Assembly (OGA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), beginning in January. The announcement came this week from Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.

Hay will be filling the slot vacated by Parsons when he was elected as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly this past summer.

Read more about the new director of operations in the Office of the General Assembly.

Looking for GA actions?

Commissioners and advisory delegates to the recent 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) considered and made decisions on many important issues before the church.

Every action taken by the assembly is available through PC-biz, the electronic system used to access GA business. News and photos from the assembly are also available.

In addition, you may be interested in learning more about Bruce Reyes-Chow, Moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008).

Stated Clerk releases 2007 PC(USA) statistics

The annual churchwide statistics for 2007 are now available.

Web site offers resources for interpreting GA per capita

What is per capita? Why is it important? What do General Assembly per capita dollars provide?

Find the answers to these and other frequently asked questions about per capita on a new Web site that focuses on this funding source, which is how Presbyterians mutually share the costs of coming together to discern the Spirit’s leading for the future.

Explore the per capita Web site.