General Assembly Update #2

NEWS FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
MEMPHIS, TENN
JUNE 12, 2007

PCA General Assembly Opens with Worship Service
MEMPHIS, TENN – The 35TH General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America, meeting in Memphis, Tenn., held its opening worship service on Tuesday, June 12. The retiring moderator, Dr. Dominic Aquila, president of new Geneva Theological Seminary in Colorado Springs, Colorado, gave the opening sermon before an audience of over 2,500.

Dr. Aquila spoke on the theme of "The Church: Mighty in Christ" from Matthew 16:13-20. He stated, "Christ as head of the visible church gives it explicit direction, which are applicable in each generation.” In speaking of the PCA, as would be true of any church, he pointed out:

(1) It is Christ’s Church. He owns the church, shed his blood for the church, and continually calls the church to faithfulness. Because it is Christ’s church, its members are called to serve him in and through it. So we are at once indispensable (in that Christ has pressed us into service) and dispensable (in that when we have fulfilled our task, he calls to another work or to glory). (2) It is a Confessing Church. The church confesses internally through the confessions it makes affirming the truths of Scripture. And it confesses externally when it declares to the world the absolute necessity of Christ for salvation. (3) It is a Conquering Church. Nothing is able to stop the forceful advance of the church; when it marches with the gospel the barriers erected by the evil one are knocked over and the hearts of sinners are conquered.

RE E. J. Nusbaum Elected Moderator of 35th PCA General Assembly
MEMPHIS, TENN – At its opening session on Tuesday, June 12, the 35th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America elected RE E.J. Nusbaum as moderator. The PCA General Assembly is holding its annual meeting in the Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn., through June 15. Mr. Nusbaum is a ruling elder in the Village Seven Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, Colo.

A native of Colorado, Mr. Nusbaum was raised in Greeley. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduation in 1979, he was commissioned as an infantry officer. After various assignments in the Army, he left active duty in 1985 and moved to Colorado Springs to open a State Farm Agency.

He and his family joined Village Seven PCA in Colorado Springs in 1985, where he was ordained as a ruling elder in 1988. As a ruling elder he has served in a number of capacities: as the clerk of the Village Seven Session, on the MNA committee of Rocky Mountain Presbytery, and on a number of General Assembly committees of commissioners. He currently serves as a member of the Committee on Constitutional Business.

He is married to the former Joan Majors. In addition to running his insurance agency, E. J. continues his military service as an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve. E.J. and Joan have two daughters, Emily and Becky.

PCA General Assembly Being Web Cast
The 2007 PCA General Assembly is being broadcast "live" on the Internet. Gavel-to-gavel coverage began at 7:00 p.m. (CDT) on June 12 and will continue through adjournment on Friday, June 15. The worship services on Wednesday (Dr. R.C. Sproul preaching) and Thursday (Dr. Bryan Chapell preaching) evenings will also be broadcast live.

Using our custom media player you'll be able to follow along with all proceedings, voting, and listen to the audio or watch various committee reports and worship services with live streaming video. Visit the site at http://www.pcaga.com. All sessions of the GA will be archived so they can be viewed later on.

PCA Church Building in Lincoln, Neb., Burns Down
Zion Church Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Neb., burned down on Saturday morning, June9, 2007. The church has been declared a total loss (a Methodist church in the area offered their sanctuary for worship on June 10). The church had planned a ground breaking on Sunday for a new addition to the building. Pastor Stu
Kerns stated that the insurance coverage will probably not cover the replacement cost of the building. Mission to North America has opened a fund by which churches and individuals can contribute to assist Zion PCA’s rebuilding. To contribute to the Zion PCA Rebuilding Fund, go to http://www.pca-mna.org. To read mor information from Zion Church, go to http://www.zionpca.com.

Byfaithonline – The Web Magazine of the PCA
Make sure to visit www.byfaithonline.com regularly to read articles and news for and about the PCA. To subscribe to the print edition of the Byfaith magazine go to https://giving.christianity.com/donatenow/pca/offers.php.

Dominic Aquila, Editor
Byfaithonline Newsletter
daquila@byfaithonline.com
www.byfaithonline.com