Voices from the Gulf Coast

story and photos by Jane Hines

In the sermon that began the consultation, General Assembly Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick said: “We find over and over again new excitement about the Gospel of Christ. . . . On the surface we are different from the New Testament Church but we are alike at a deeper level. We are living in a Pentecostal reality in twenty-first century America with many different kinds of people. . . . The New Testament Church was in a world of spiritual hunger much like our own. . . . This consultation today is about joining together to be the church God is calling together in our time.”

The 101st and last General Assembly Consultation with Governing Bodies was held at a
joint meeting of Mississippi, South Alabama, and Florida Presbyteries on May 6, 2003,
at First Presbyterian Church in Pensacola, Florida.

John Detterick, Executive Director of the General Assembly Council, said, “It is a joy to watch old friends greet each other as members of these three great presbyteries.” After hearing reports from the 32 small groups at the gathering, he said, “You have a gift for relationship building in this part of the country. The rest of the church can learn from you.”

Reports from representatives of the three presbyteries included concerns and suggestions about small churches and their need for pastoral leadership; the relationships to be built with those in our midst “who don’t look like us”; ideas for sharing resources among churches and among presbyteries; learning to take full advantage of new technology; challenges involved in the changing nature of families; utilizing the wisdom of maturity and the energy of youth, and providing effective communication.

Left to right: Emett Barfield, Mississippi Presbyterian Executive; John
Detterick, GAC Executive Director; Clifton Kirkpatrick, GA Stated
Clerk; David Snellgrove, Executive, Synod of Living Waters.

Responding to a question about improving trust and relationships, Morris Taylor, a minister from Mississippi Presbytery, said, “We will develop trust as we develop an attitude of servanthood rather than an attitude of control.”

The afternoon was devoted to a conference with the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator of the 214th General Assembly, followed by separate meetings of the three presbyteries.