THIRTY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

            The Assembly reconvened at 8:00 AM on June 13, 2003 with worship, then at 9:06 AM for business with the singing of “God, My King, Thy Might Confessing” as the opening prayer.

31-54 Approval of Minutes of Thirty-First General Assembly

            The Assembly authorized the Moderator to appoint a Committee to approve the Minutes of this Assembly.

31-55 Committee on Review of Presbytery Records

            TE Ted Trefsgar, Chairman, led the Assembly in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 1205).  During the report, the Chair provided a short period for the commissioners to review the recommendations.  Recommendations 1-64 were adopted.  On Recommendation 56, refer to previous actions of this Assembly (Handbook, p. 3005, Item 31-15). After pausing to review them, General Recommendations 1-3 (Handbook, p. 1244) were adopted, with Recommendation 3 being struck.   General Recommendations 4-16 were adopted, with Recommendation 14 being amended by the striking of “and included in the minutes” on page 1245, line 29.

            The Assembly adopted a motion “that the Report of the RPRC be printed and distributed on Thursday, or at least one hour before the Report is presented at the 32^nd General Assembly.

            The Assembly received the following Objection from TE William S. Barker to our response to South Florida Presbytery (Item #56, p. 1237, lines 44-46):  “Our response’s final sentence sounds as though we regard the Holy Spirit as ontologically subordinate to the Father and the Son.  This would contradict the teaching of our Standards that the Three Persons of the Godhead are equal in power and glory”.

            The Assembly amended a previous action of the Assembly (see Handbook, p. 3005, Item 31-14 for the previous action AND Item 56b, p.1201, lines 43-45 and p. 1202, lines 1-2 and Item 56e, p. 1237, lines 42-46) to delete “Our great concern ……proceeding of the Holy Spirit”.

            On a parliamentary inquiry, the Moderator was asked the following question concerning RAO 12-5:  “In light of RAO 14.10b (which does not specify that a Presbytery must respond to the CRPR, but simply to the GA), and in light of RAO 3-2.g, would our Stated Clerk have the freedom to refer a presbytery response to a GA exception of substance to a committee other than, or at least in addition to, the CRPR?”  The Moderator deferred to the Stated Clerk, who said he would not refer it to anyone other than CRPR.

31-56     Committee on Thanks

TE Henry Lewis Smith presented A Resolution of Affectionate Greeting and Appreciation to RE W. Jack Williamson”, which was adopted.  TEs Frank Barker and Morton Smith led the Assembly in prayer.  The Assembly adopted the Resolution of Thanks presented by the Committee.

31-57     Adjournment

On motion, the Assembly adjourned at 10:32 AM with the singing of Psalm 133 and the Benediction pronounced by the Stated Clerk.