Unofficial Record of Actions Taken - 32nd General Assembly, Pittsbugh, TN, 2004
Disclaimer: Please note that this narrative is provided for your convenience in following the business conducted on the floor of the General Assembly. They are not the official record or minutes of the Assembly and should not be misconstrued to be such.
Tuesday - Wednesday - Thursday
JOURNAL
MINUTES, THIRTY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Fourth Session - Thursday Morning
June 17, 2004
32-44 Assembly Reconvenes
The Assembly reconvened at 9:30 AM on June 17, 2004 with the singing of “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” and prayer by TE Howard Burkhalter, who specifically prayed for the persecuted church.
32-45 CoC on Administrative Committee
TE Mark Rowden, Chairman, led the Assembly in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 331-34). Recommendations 2,4-5,7-11 were adopted.
RE Sam Duncan assumed the Moderator’s chair. With reference to Recommendation 1, on a point of order, the Moderator ruled that since the recommendation is that the “Report be approved” (p. 331, line 37) and not “adopted,” that amendments to the recommendation are not in order. The Moderator ruled that an amendment to change “approved” to “received” was ruled out of order, and on challenge the Moderator’s ruling was sustained. The Assembly recommitted the Report of the Strategic Planning Committee, with all proposed recommendations related to that report, with instructions that it be revised to put the report in a form better adapted for the consideration of the 33rd General Assembly. TE Ligon Duncan resumed the Moderator’s chair.
Recommendation 3 was adopted with the editorial correction to add at line 41 “if appropriate, as approved by the Administrative Committee, should….”
Recommendation 6 was adopted as amended to add after “GA Minutes” (line 13): “Commissioner registration fees for Ruling Elders from churches with total receipts of under $100,000 (US or Canadian) as reported in the previous year to the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, be discounted by 50 per cent.”
Recommendation 12, which was not in the typed report, to approve the Minutes of the Permanent Committee, was adopted. Recommendation 13, which was not in the typed report, to add the Stated Clerk to the Strategic Planning Committee as an advisory member was adopted.
The Chairman commended the Stated Clerk for his service to the Assembly.
32-46 CoC on Bills and Overtures
TE T. Calhoun Burroughs III, Chairman, led the Assembly in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 131-175). Recommendations 1-7 were adopted.
32-47 Recess
The Assembly recessed with the singing of “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” and prayer by TE Derek Thomas to reconvene at 1:30 PM.
Fifth Session - Thursday Afternoon
June 17, 2004
32-48 Assembly Reconvenes
The Assembly reconvened at 1:30 PM with the singing of “My Jesus, I Love Thee” and prayer by TE Stephen Estock.
32-49CoC on Bills and Overtures
The Chairman led the Assembly in prayer and resumed the report. Recommendation 9 was adopted. Recommendation 8, having been postponed for the order of the day (Journal, 32-50), was adopted as amended to add a new resolve D. (and renumbering accordingly) at Handbook, p. 152-53 which states
D. And to call upon its members to be “the salt and light of the earth” in this context by exercising their full responsibilities as citizens including
(1) The communication of the Biblical faith of the PCA on this matter
(2) To protect and defend the Biblical teaching of marriage, according to their own best judgment as citizens, in all spheres of public and private discourse.
On a point of order, the Moderator ruled that the Assembly would vote on an amendment on the floor at the time the question was called, then revote on the amendment to the main motion and the main motion. Said amendment was defeated, then the amendment and amended Recommendation 8 was again adopted.
A motion to reconsider Recommendation 6 was defeated. TE Duncan Rankin led the Assembly in prayer.
The Assembly paused to sing “A Christian Home”.
32-50Report of the Nominating Committee
TE Harry Long, Chairman, led the Assembly in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 1001-28). Recommendation 1 was adopted. The following were elected (see p. 1025-28):
Christian Education & Publications
Class of 2007
TE John Lauber
Constitutional Business Committee
Alternate
TE John K. Reeves
Reformed University Ministries
Class of 2009
RE Greg Tripplett
Standing Judicial Commission
Class of 2006
TE Howell Burkhalter
Class of 2007
TE William Harrell, Jr.
Theological Examining Committee
Class of 2006
RE Fred Greco
The oath was administered to the newly elected members of the Standing Judicial Commission. On motion, the Assembly declared the SJC to be the Judicial Commission of this Assembly in accord with BCO 15-4. The Chairman led the Assembly in prayer.
32-51 Assembly Recesses
The Assembly recessed for ten minutes at 3:30 PM.
32-52 Second Supplemental Report of CCB
RE Dan Carroll, Chairman, led in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 277-78). The report was received as information.
32-53 Review of Presbytery Records
RE Tom Bingham, Chairman, led the Assembly in prayer and presented the report (Handbook, p. 1201-38).
