General Assembly News - Day 5 - June 20, 2018

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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ◆ 223 General Assembly 2018

June 20, 2018

Kingdom building for the 21st Century.

Hundreds of Presbyterians join march to St. Louis’ Justice Center More than $47,000 raised to bail out people charged with misdemeanors by Rick Jones

Presbyterians march in the ‘Freedom Should Be Free - No Cash Bail’ rally at General Assembly 223 in St. Louis. (Photo by Danny Bolin)

ST. LOUIS — Several hundred Presbyterians took to the streets on a hot and humid Tuesday afternoon in downtown St. Louis calling for social, racial and economic justice. Partici-

pants – including Co-Moderators Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri, and the Rev. Cindy Kohlmann, along with the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson, General Assembly stated clerk – joined other advocacy

Matthew’s Gospel unfolds in first-century setting eerily similar to today

GA223 Bible study leader Raj Nadella unpacks contrasts between empire and God’s kingdom by Eva Stimson ST. LOUIS — In terms eerily similar to today, Raj Nadella, assistant professor of New Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary near Atlanta, described the Roman empire of the first century — the context of New Testament Christianity — in the second of two Bible studies at the 223rd General Assembly (2018) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). In Matthew 14, a king (Herod) hosts a lavish birthday banquet that ends in the grisly beheading of a prophet (John

the Baptist) committed to a life of poverty. Herod represented an oppressive system in which people were taxed to build new cities to dedicate to the emperor of Rome. People at the top had great wealth, but “all these massive building practices were coming at great cost to the poor people in Galilee,” Nadella said. He reminded listeners of the Old Testament story in which the Israelites begged God for a king because they See Matthew’s Gospel p. 2

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Remembering Peg

groups for the one-mile walk from the America’s Center (St. Louis’ convention center) to the City Justice Center to participate in a “bail out.” Organizers say the jails are full of

people being held on minor offenses, unable to pay cash bail. The marchers, working with local organizations such as the Bail Project and the St. Louis AcSee March p. 8

Middle East panel continues support for rights of Palestinians Threat made against one speaker outside of meeting by Rick Jones ST. LOUIS – The 223rd General Assembly’s Middle East Committee has signed off on most of its business, including overtures on Israel/Palestine, the U.S. government’s decision to disengage with Iran and the Syrian conflict. While the committee meetings themselves were respectful and calm, the ongoing debate over the Israeli occupation of Palestine created some concern outside committee sessions. One speaker was confronted by another individual after the group broke for lunch on Monday. Once the committee reconvened, Moderator Charon Barconey addressed the panel.

“One of our speakers shared with the committee that they were followed across the street, where an individual made a statement that could be considered a threat,” she said. “Authorities were notified, and it appears the threat was made by someone who had not registered with the General Assembly.” A security officer was stationed in the hall for the remainder of the first day of meetings. Eleven out of 13 overtures and resolutions considered by the committee addressed issues surrounding Israel/ Palestine. The committee rejected one See Middle East p. 2

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The Way Forward National Black Presbyterian Caucus

Diane Moffett Public march photos


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