In this special announcement, Dean Weaver, Stated Clerk of the EPC, introduces Zenaida Bermudez as the new Executive Director of Operations. With extensive experience and a heart for ministry, Zenaida is uniquely equipped to lead and support the mission of the EPC. In this brief interview, Dean shares insights into her background, her passion for the Church, and the vision she brings to the role. We look forward to Zenaida’s impact in serving our churches and furthering the Great Commission.
Dear EPC Family,
In anticipation of Hurricane Milton, the Office of the General Assembly will remain closed through Friday. During this time, our staff will work remotely as circumstances allow.
Given the unpredictability of the storm’s effects, please note that some staff may not be consistently available throughout the week. While we are committed to continuing our service, there may be delays in our responses.
We sincerely appreciate your prayers for the safety of everyone affected and for our team as we navigate these challenges. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
In Christ,
EPC Office of the General Assembly
In the aftermath of the devastating hurricane that swept through North Carolina, the EPC’s disaster response is well underway. Our first priority is to pray as a denomination for everyone affected by the hurricane and subsequent floods. Our next priority is to provide essentials people need on the ground – water, food staples, diapers, baby formula, medicines, and basic supplies such as toilet paper. Beyond these critical needs, the focus shifts to the individuals, churches, and teams actively involved in relief efforts.
We are calling on local churches eager to help to organize volunteers and create inventories of those willing and able to serve at the disaster site. Teams are needed for the physically demanding work of clearing debris and repairing damage, which requires nothing more than an able body and a willing heart. These teams must currently be self-contained, bringing their own food, water, and sleeping supplies, as plans are in place to set up lodging for relief workers closer to the affected areas soon.
The hurricane has impacted at least 13 of our congregations in the region. Thankfully, all our buildings are still standing, but the damage to our members’ lives is severe. Losses range from minimal to catastrophic. On a recent emergency call with the EPC’s Disaster Relief Committee, co-chair Whitney Alexander observed that “the people who can afford it the least have lost the most.” Despite the devastation, two of our Teaching Elders led worship services in parking lots this past Sunday, demonstrating that even amid disaster, God is present and at work.
The EPC Office of the General Assembly is closely coordinating with local churches and presbyteries to ensure that aid is distributed where most needed. To streamline these efforts, we are directing all donations through the disaster relief fund on our website, which you can access by clicking here.
This recovery will be a long and arduous process – one that will take years, not months. While immediate financial support is crucial to sustaining our relief teams in the coming days and weeks, we urge you to also lift up prayers for those affected. Prayer remains the most powerful way we can support our brothers and sisters as they begin to rebuild their lives.
Our hearts are with those affected by the recent hurricane in North Carolina. We’re mobilizing essential relief efforts on the ground—providing water, food, and critical supplies to those in need.
The EPC is working alongside local churches and presbyteries to coordinate relief teams and ensure help reaches the most impacted areas. We invite you to pray and support however you can. Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in this time of need.
Donate to the EPC Disaster Relief Fund through this link. Every bit helps!
With an emphasis on the Gospel Priorities, the EPC Office of the General Assembly prepared a budget for the fiscal year 2023-24 (July 2023 – June 2024), that set a conservative growth target for POI and allocated significant resources toward World Outreach, Church Planting, Church Health, and Effective Biblical Leadership. POI for the year fell just short of our budget goal due to some timing issues with year-end deposits. However, those deposits in early July indicate that the POI budget would have been met, and our goals reached. But, by God’s grace, POI for fiscal year 2024-25 is consequently off to a strong start.
It was a blessed and fruitful year. The EPC Office of the General Assembly looks forward to continuing this progress in carrying out the Great Commission in the new fiscal year. To that end, through the month of August POI is up over the last three years.
We are grateful for the Lord’s generous provision throughout EPC congregations as we together serve to carry out the Great Commission. Because of your generosity, churches are being planted, congregations are being revitalized, pastors and their families are being cared for and the Gospel is going to some of the hardest places on the planet.
And yet, there is more work to do. The fields are gleaming white…so next month, more information and data on POI and our common mission as a missional family of churches.
Ritchey Cable, Digital Content Lead of the General Assembly, gives a brief glimpse into the new upcoming season of In All Things that begins next week!
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes five guests this week for a two-part series preparing us for the 44th General Assembly. Those participating in this podcast are upcoming moderator, Victor Jones, EPC Chief Parliamentarian, Bob Garment, Hannah Attaway of Hope Church, and two individuals delivering GA messages, pastors Tim Johnson and Corrina Gambrell. This is part one of the two part series.
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes EPC pastor, Marcos Ortega, who will be preaching on Tuesday night at the 44th General Assembly. Dean and Marcos discuss the meaningful nature of this worship and commissioning service. Marcos also served on the committee forming the Pastoral Letter of Racial Lament and Hope, and Marcos reflects on the process of creating the letter and the role the Westminster Standards played in creating that document.
As GA 2024 approaches, the EPC World Outreach Director Gabriel de Guia and Assistant Director Jordin Greer invite you to join us in June at Hope Church Memphis, where there will be opportunities and activities for everyone to engage with World Outreach!
Check out the schedule below to learn more.
As GA 2024 approaches, the Office of the General Assembly extends a warm invitation to all the women within the EPC community to join us in Memphis. Rev. Hannah Attaway, Assistant Pastor and Women’s Ministry Director at Hope Church, shares her heartfelt invitation to women to attend special events planned specifically for them during the Assembly in Memphis this June. Continue reading
Route One Ministry, our partner in the 2024 Chaplains Workshop
In the tapestry of human experience are threads of joy, sorrow, hope, and despair. Within these complexities, chaplains stand as beacons of compassion and understanding, offering solace and support to those navigating life’s most challenging moments. The Chaplain’s Workshop, a sanctuary of learning and sharing, beckons all who feel called to this sacred vocation, as well as those simply curious about the profound impact of chaplaincy.
Hosted with open arms by the EPC Chaplain Endorser and the Chaplains Work & Care Committee, the workshop extends its invitation not only to current and former chaplains but also to anyone intrigued by the work of chaplaincy, as well as all GA Attendees who would find the presentations by the Keynote Speaker valuable to their life and ministry. The Workshop will take place on Friday, June 21st, 2024 from 8 AM to 4 PM at Highland Heights EPC, located at 2855 Morning Sun Rd., Cordova, Tennessee. The workshop will convene at this alternative location, close by though separate from the General Assembly Host Church, the day after General Assembly is complete. Register now through the link below! Continue reading
The excitement is palpable as the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) invites you to mark your calendars and secure your spot at the 44th Annual General Assembly and Gospel Priorities Summit. It’s time to dive into a gathering of faith, fellowship, and learning like never before. Click here to register now! Continue reading
We hope you’re eagerly anticipating our upcoming General Assembly & Gospel Priorities Summit in Cordova, Tennessee! As we gear up for this transformative event, we’re thrilled to share some more details on the childcare services available throughout the entirety of the conference.
Attending General Assembly can sometimes be a juggling act, especially for those with young children. In keeping with our focus this year on what’s “Next,” we want to be as accommodating as possible to young families. That’s why we’re delighted to offer a comprehensive childcare program designed to cater to the needs of families like yours! Here’s what you can expect from our childcare services:
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Rufus Smith, pastor at Hope Church in Cordova, Tennessee, where the EPC will be having its 44th General Assembly and Gospel Priorities Summit. Rufus touches on General Assembly and all they have planned at Hope, and also shares about the Revelation 7:9 Task Force within the EPC and the importance of striving for a church that reflects the body of Christ we will witness in eternity.
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Rev. Dr. Rodger Woodworth, a longtime member of the EPC, who carries titles of pastor, professor and author. Rodgers newest book, The Architecture of Truth, as well as this podcast, engages with the idea of reclaiming truth in a culture that rejects absolute truth. Dean and Rodger have a helpful conversation around what it looks like to remain biblically faithful as you minister in a culture that is anchored instead to the idea of individual, personal “truths”.
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Marti Ratcliff, the GA Lead of the EPC, to share some of the exciting things happening at this year’s event and how you can make the most of it.
Get ready to mark your calendars, EPC family, because it’s once again time for our General Assembly and Gospel Priorities Summit! We are thrilled to extend to you a warm invitation to join us at Hope Church in Cordova, Tennessee from June 18th to June 20th, 2024.
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Megan Steele, GA Coordinator from Hope Church in Cordova, Tennessee, to share the theme and heart of this year’s denominational meeting. Megan also reveals some of the new opportunities for families with children/students at this year’s meeting as well as an exciting time of fellowship at GA 2024 for everyone to enjoy.
Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Jen Burkholder, Director of Strategic Partnerships at CCO and Josh Brown, Lead Pastor at Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. to discuss one of the secrets behind young people staying in the church post-college age. Jen and Josh discuss the ministry of CCO and the importance of investing in the next generation for the Gospel.
Connect with CCO and learn more at:
Episode 97 of the EPC’s podcast, “In All Things,” Carolee Richendollar, the new Director of Benefits Resources, Inc. (BRI), gives some of her history within the healthcare industry and gives details about the variety of benefits available to recipients of the program.
Host Dean Weaver and Carolee Richendollar, discuss not only the details of BRI and the benefits available to EPC pastors and EPC employees, but also the reason the denomination created this system from the beginning. This podcast engages the idea that if leaders of the church are going to care well for others they must be sure to care also for themselves.
Episodes are available on a variety of podcast platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and others. Search “In All Things” on any of these services.
The audio recordings also are available on the EPC website at www.epc.org/inallthings.
Episode 96 of the EPC’s podcast, “In All Things,” Doug Resler, Senior Pastor of Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Parker, Colorado and adjunct professor at Denver Seminary explains his work in the Ministerial Vocation Committee’s (MVC) pilot program regarding pastoral effectiveness.
Host Dean Weaver and Doug Resler discuss the MVC’s work in studying three pastoral core competencies: biblical and theological expertise, personal spiritual formation, and organizational and leadership skills. The goal of the project is to gather data to help the MVC develop resources for long-term pastoral effectiveness. Dean and Doug engage some of the current day issues regarding the health of pastors and offer insightful diagnoses, as well as practical advice for the listener.
Episodes are available on a variety of podcast platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and others. Search “In All Things” on any of these services.
The audio recordings also are available on the EPC website at www.epc.org/inallthings.
Rosemary Lukens, Chairman of the National Leadership Team and Ruling Elder for Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church, and Victor Jones, Moderator-elect of the 43rd General Assembly and Ruling Elder for Westminster Presbyterian Church join host Dean Weaver, for this new episode of “In All Things”.
Dean and his guests discuss a variety of topics related to how God is working with the denomination at the National level.
Episodes are available on a variety of podcast platforms, including Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Podbean, Spotify, and others. Search “In All Things” on any of these services.
The audio recordings also are available on the EPC website at www.epc.org/inallthings.
Every disaster is a call to prayer. That is where we start.
At this time, we are unsure of what is the best way to help in Maui or what the needs might be in the western part of the US after the hurricane and earthquake.
There are no EPC churches on Maui, so we are looking for the best avenues to assist the people affected by this tragedy. The large relief agencies are there now, and we will be reaching out to them to see how we can connect with them and the people working there now providing services to those displaced.
Regarding the West Coast and Hurricane Hilary, we are waiting to hear back from the two EPC Presbyteries there to see what their congregations’ needs are. Once we know that, we can make decisions on how to assist there.
Many of you have emailed asking how your churches can support those in Maui or those that are affected by the West Coast hurricane. As we pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit on how best to use our resources, we would encourage you to give to the EPC Domestic Emergency Relief Fund. You can mark your donations Maui Wildfires or Hurricane Hilary if you desire. You can give thru this link: https://epc.org/donate/emergencyrelief or thru the QR Code below.
We will keep you informed as we move forward. Please join us in prayer for all of those whose lives have been torn apart by these disasters.
At the June 30 close of the EPC’s fiscal year, contributions to Percentage of Income (POI) and Per Member Asking (PMA) received by the Office of the General Assembly totaled $2,411,985. The amount is $120,983 more than that total received in FY22 and only $39,879 (1.6 percent) less than the FY23 General Assembly operating budget of $2,451,864.
In addition, total fiscal year operating expenses were $16,350 under budget.
“I am beyond thankful that our churches supported the EPC so generously the past year,” said Stated Clerk Dean Weaver. “Because of their faithfulness and the careful stewardship of our staff at the Office of the General Assembly, we can look a future of expanding the impact of our Gospel Priorities and serving our churches and leaders in numerous other ways.”
Of the $2,411,985 received, $482,387 (20 percent) was contributed to EPC World Outreach.
In addition to PMA contributions, the Office of the General Assembly received $6,328,271 in designated gifts in FY23. This total was $458,590 (22.8 percent) less than the $6,786,861 in designated gifts received in FY22. Designated gifts include support for World Outreach global workers and projects, and contributions to EPC Special Projects such as Emergency Relief, church planting and revitalization initiatives, and the EPC’s holiday offerings.
Of the total, $6,013,671 was designated for World Outreach workers and projects, and $314,600 was designated for EPC projects. These amounts only reflect gifts received and distributed by the Office of the General Assembly, and do not reflect donations given directly to WO global workers or other projects.
Commissioners to the denomination’s 42nd General Assembly in June 2022 approved a transition from the Per Member Asking (PMA) funding formula to a Percentage of Income (POI) model. Under PMA, churches were asked to contribute $23 per member to the Office of the General Assembly. The POI model is a request for churches to support the national level of the EPC with 1 percent of income to the church’s general operating fund. The shift will phase in over the next three years, with full POI implementation expected at the start of FY26 in July 2025.
Commissioners to the EPC’s 43rd General Assembly approved the formation of a permanent Disaster Relief Committee 48 hours before a tornado tore through the area, disrupting the Assembly, uprooting trees and inflicting other damage, but causing no injuries. As tornado warning alarms went off throughout the Sanctuary of Assembly host Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Stated Clerk Dean Weaver called the Thursday afternoon business session meeting into recess. Within a few minutes, attendees were sheltering and singing “Holy, Holy, Holy” and other favorite hymns in the church basement, inner hallways, and restrooms.
Following a pause of nearly an hour, Commissioners reconvened and proceeded with Assembly business.
While many present began dubbing the 43rd General Assembly / Gospel Priorities Summit as “the tornado Assembly,” much more transpired over the three-day gathering.
Numerous equipping sessions each day focused on the EPC’s four Gospel Priorities of Church Health (led by Bob Stauffer, EPC National Director of Church Health); Church Planting (led by Tom Ricks, National Director of Church Planting); Effective Biblical Leadership (led by Michael Davis, Assistant Stated Clerk); and Global Movement (led by Gabriel de Guia, Executive Director of EPC World Outreach).
In denominational business, Commissioners voted to approve more than 20 recommendations from the EPC’s permanent committees and boards.
Commissioners also elected Joe Kim as Moderator and Victor Jones as Moderator-Elect. Kim serves as Pastor of Hope Philly, an EPC church plant in Philadelphia, Pa., in the Presbytery of the East. Jones is a Ruling Elder for Westminster Presbyterian Church in Laurel, Miss., in the Presbytery of the Gulf South.
Joe Kim continued the tradition of “singing Moderators” by leading the Assembly in his original children’s song, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (photo credit: Scott Wiest)
Nearly 750 individuals registered for the Assembly, including 417 Teaching Elders and 330 Ruling Elders who submitted voting credentials.
Book of Government
In matters related to the EPC Book of Government, Commissioners approved a recommendation to delete section 17-5 (Treasurer as an Officer of the Board of Deacons) and correspondingly amend sections 6-8D and 18-3H.
Bob Garment, EPC Chief Parliamentarian, told the Assembly that 17-5 “suggests in that section on Deacons that there is a required annual audit for every church in the EPC.”
He emphasized that the EPC is an accredited member of the Evangelical Council on Financial Accountability, and as such “we want to be transparent and good stewards and make sure our finances are in order. But in fact, we’ve never required an audit. And it strengthens the statement on the responsibility of the Session for all the financial planning and oversight in the local church.”
Commissioners also approved an amendment to the Book of Discipline, adding to the definition of church discipline in section 1-1 the statement, “Church discipline does not supersede or negate the legal responsibility to report cases of suspected abuse to civil authorities according to local and state requirements.”
Bob Garment, EPC Chief Parliamentarian, explains the rationale behind amending the Book of Government, section 17-5. (photo credit: Scott Wiest)
Annie Rose, Stated Clerk of the Rivers and Lakes, said the amendment is an effort to codify existing practice in the EPC “and to say that as we go through our discipline process as a Church, we also comply with our obligations to report to civil authorities.”
Committees and Study Groups
In addition to the formation of the Disaster Relief Committee, study groups were approved to review the EPC’s Position Paper on Domestic Abuse, Book of Discipline, and ordination process.
Brad Strait, Chairman of the National Leadership Team, said the review of the Position Paper on Domestic Abuse was to ensure the language was up to date.
“Some of the things that seemed to be very cutting edge when we wrote them 15 years ago could always stand to be reevaluated,” he said.
Regarding the Book of Discipline, creation of a Moderator-appointed task force was approved to “complete a thorough review of our Book of Discipline and associated Forms and consult with experts inside and outside of the EPC as needed and present recommendations to the 44th General Assembly.”
“Hopefully any other exposure we might have as a denomination will be addressed in that full review process,” said Mark Eshoff, Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest.
Jerry Iamurri, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Ministerial Vocation, said the creation of an interim committee to review the EPC’s ordination standards and process occurs approximately every 10 years.
“It’s just making sure that our ordination requirements are consistent with the ethos of the EPC and consistent with what the seminaries are doing today,” Iamurri said. “We are going to make sure those things are in alignment by revisiting them as we normally do every decade or so.”
Ecumenical Matters
Commissioners voted to enter into a fraternal relationship with ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians.
Alan Trafford, Chairman of the permanent Fraternal Relations Committee, said the recommendation is in response to the 37th General Assembly asking the committee to explore the possibility.
“This means that we recognize our colleagues in ECO as co-laborers in the Reformed corner of the vineyard,” he noted, “But it also means that we recognize the value of some of the cooperative efforts that have already begun, for example in the training of Transitional Pastors, Church Planting assessments, evangelism training, and providing resources for smaller congregations.”
As part of the Fraternal Relations Committee report to the Assembly, attendees prayed for fraternal guests (from left) Guillermo Mac Kenzie from the St. Andrews Presbytery of Argentina and Samuel Sesay from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Sierra Leone. (photo credit: Scott Wiest)
Trafford added that the opportunities for collaborative ministry and Great Commission mission “are endless in such a relationship.”
Commissioners also approved the EPC’s withdrawal from the World Communion of Reformed Churches. The motion was in response to the 42nd General Assembly’s approval for the permanent Theology Committee to study the EPC’s membership in the ecumenical organization.
Weaver said discussion of leaving the WCRC has been going “for a very long time … it goes back to the 90s. Its theological beliefs, its political beliefs—almost every belief—are not in alignment with the beliefs of the EPC.”
Weaver explained that membership in the WCRC provided an ecumenical bridge for congregations joining the EPC from the mainline denomination that had reversion clauses in their departure agreements.
“As those reversion clauses have since expired, there is no compelling reason for us to stay in the WCRC,” he said.
Weaver added that the EPC enjoys “a very deep level of involvement in the World Reformed Fellowship. It is a very good, biblical, Reformed, global body that we are contributing to and gaining from.”
Budget and Special Projects
Commissioners approved a Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24—July 2023 through June 2024) budget for EPC operating expenses of $3,507,727. This represents a 5.5 percent increase in projected spending over the FY23 budget.
Mike Moses, Lead Pastor of the Lake Forest family of churches in suburban Charlotte, N.C., co-led the Gospel Priorities Summit plenary session on Church Planting. (photo credit: Scott Wiest)
The FY24 budget includes $366,722 in direct funding of the four Gospel Priorities—$112,823 for Church Planting; $74,000 for Church Health; $35,349 for Global Movement; and $144,550 for Effective Biblical Leadership. In addition, 20 percent of contribution to the Office of the General Assembly though Percentage of Income (POI) support Global Movement in the form of funding the overall ministry of World Outreach. This is projected to be $496,890 through June 30, 2024.
The Assembly also approved a variety of Special Projects for FY24, which are ministry initiatives not supported by POI but to which soliciting contributions is approved.
In other administration-related business, Commissioners approved a recommendation that ordained ministers drawing retirement income from the EPC 403(b)(9) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan be allowed to designate up to 100 percent of their retirement income for housing allowance.
Bart Francescone, Executive Director of EPC Benefit Resources, Inc., said the annual action provides retired ministers with a readily available reference if asked by tax authorities.
Committee and Board Members
In addition to electing Kim as Moderator and Jones as Moderator-elect, the Assembly elected the following individuals to fill vacancies on the EPC’s permanent committees and boards as others complete their terms of service (TE denotes Teaching Elder. RE denotes Ruling Elder. * denotes second term.):
Benefit Resources, Inc., Board of Directors: RE Michael Busch, Presbytery of the Alleghenies; RE Bill Overcast, Presbytery of the Central South; Cathy Scott, Presbytery of the East. Busch was elected as Chairman.
Chaplains Work and Care Committee: RE Bruce Alexander, Presbytery of the New River; RE Kendra Bowers, Presbytery of the Central South; TE Marty Carpenter*, Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest; TE Scott Kennaugh, Presbytery of the Midwest; TE David Snyder, Presbytery of the Midwest.
Disaster Relief Committee: TE Whitney Alexander, Presbytery of the Gulf South; TE Bill Crawford, Presbytery of the Gulf South; Paul Gorny, At-Large; Toni Harris, At-Large; TE Cliff Mansley, Presbytery of the West; RE Hans Othmer, Presbytery of the Gulf South; Nancy Prott, At-Large; RE Dave Shanklin, Presbytery of the Central South; RE Jim Winter, Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean.
Fraternal Relations Committee: TE David Galbraith*, Presbytery of the Midwest; RE Holly Lazzero, Presbytery of the East; Roger Rumer, Presbytery of the Alleghenies; RE Josh Shelley; Presbytery of the Central South; TE Stan Van Den Berg*, Presbytery of the Great Plains.
Ministerial Vocation Committee: RE Richard Gash*, Presbytery of the Alleghenies; TE Doug Resler*, Presbytery of the West; TE Scott Sealy, Presbytery of the Central South.
National Leadership Team: TE Greg Aydt, Presbytery of the West; RE Chris Danusiar, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes; TE Julie Hawkins, Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest; RE Joi Williams, Presbytery of the Coastal Mid-Atlantic.
Next Generation Ministries Council: Geraud Bumfield, Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest; TE Dan Kish, Presbytery of the Central South; Faith Reid*, Presbytery of the Central South; TE Joseph Stroup*, Presbytery of the Alleghenies; TE SirGregory Thornton, Presbytery of the Central South.
Nominating Committee: RE Mike Goolsby, Presbytery of the Great Plains; RE Kelli Marks, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes; TE Juan Rivera*, Presbytery of Florida and the Caribbean; TE Bob Vincent*, Presbytery of the Gulf South; TE S.J. Winter, Presbytery of the Midwest.
Permanent Judicial Commission: RE Jeff Hollingsworth*, Presbytery of the Southeast; TE Zach Hopkins, Presbytery of the Rivers and Lakes; TE Barton Kimbro, Presbytery of the Central South; TE Ed McCallum, Presbytery of the West; RE Tom Werner, Presbytery of Mid-America.
Presbytery Review Committee: RE Ron Bengelink*, Presbytery of the Pacific Northwest; Jim Connors*, Presbytery of the Pacific Southwest; TE Jason Steele*, Presbytery of the Midwest.
Theology Committee: RE David Buschart, Presbytery of the West; TE Luke Johnston, Presbytery of the Great Plains.
World Outreach Committee: TE Whitney Alexander*, Presbytery of the Gulf South; TE Waring Porter*, Presbytery of the Central South.
Other Business Items
A T-shirt commemorating the “Tornado Assembly” is available in a variety of colors in the EPC Merchandise Store, www.epc.org/merchandise.
Commissioners also approved a variety of other business items:
In closing the Assembly, Weaver quipped to Commissioners that they “would be pleased to know that the work of this General Assembly is already at play—you approved earlier a permanent committee on Disaster Relief.”
“This has been a General Assembly I will never forget,” Weaver said. “But what I’ll never forget about it is the amazing way the Cherry Hills staff and volunteers served us. The way you went into the basement and started singing ‘Holy, holy, holy.’ That you were passing out water bottles to each other, the way you were loving one another. Because that’s what family does. And in my view, the EPC is not a denomination; the EPC is a family. And you have demonstrated that.”
The Cherry Hills Community Church staff and volunteers earned a well-deserved ovation at the conclusion of the Assembly. (photo credit: Scott Wiest)
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