Tuesday: June 10, 2008
Evening Worship 7:30pm
Sermon: Retiring Moderator E. J. Nusbaum, "Transformed Leaders" (Romans 12:1-3)
Celebration of the Lord's Supper

Evening Session 9pm
The first business session was called to order with a declaration of quorum.
The Stated Clerk presentd the docket and reported on delegates present. At the time of this first session, there were 840 teaching elders, and 291 ruling elders present, a total of 1,131 Commissioners. (Last year there were 1,228 delegates at the time of convening. In 2006 there were 1,347 convening commissioners.)

Three men were nominated for the position of Moderator: Dr. Paul Kooistra, Dr. Tom Kay, Dr. O. Palmer Robertson. On the first ballot, Dr. Paul Kooistra was elected to serve as Moderator. An updated docket was adopted. Various assistants to the moderator and clerk along with various technical and support persons were elected at the recommendation of the stated clerk. The assembly was recessed until 10:30am tomorrow morning (Dallas time).

Wednesday: June 11, 2008
Morning Session 10:30am - Noon
The Stated Clerk reported on current legal issues and denominational statistics.

Amendment to BCO 26-2 was voted upon and passed.
The vote on amentments to the RAO went as follows:
1. Overture 13 passed revising several sections of the Rules for Assembly Operations.
2. A recommendation from the Review of Presbytery Records to change RAO 16-3-e-5 was ruled out of order by the moderator at the request of David Coffin.

A committee of thanks was appointed by the Moderator.
A personal resolution was adopted as a memorial to Mr. Canada who died this past year.

Interchurch Relations: A CoC report was given, and greetings were received from sister denominations.

Afternoon Session 1:30-5:30pm
Informational reports were given from our various agencies and committees.

The Committee on Constitutional Business gave a brief report.

The Standing Judicial Commission reported on its actions in cases sent to them during this past year. A censure was read admonishing Louisiana Presbytery for violations against them regarding the views of a Teaching Elder which were not properly handled by the Presbytery.

The CoC on Mision to North America reported. All the recommendations were approved unanimously by the committee and were passed by omnibus vote.

The recommendations of the report of the Coc on Reformed Univesity Ministries were approved by the omnibus method. Among them, overture 11 was answered in the negative with clarification to the language respecting the way the overture relates with other agencies or committees that will also respond to that overture.

Evening Worship 7:30pm
Sermon by Dr. Philip G. Ryken (TE at Thenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia)
"More Precious Than Life Itself" (Acts 20:24)

Thursday: June 12, 2008
Morning Session 9:30am - Noon
Various CoC reports on Committees and Agencies were presented. Among them were the reports on Ridge Haven, Retirement Benefits and Insurance, Christian Education and Publications, MTW (Overture 11 resolutions 1-2 were answered in the negative), The Theological Examination Committee, Covenant Theological Seminary, Covenant College and the PCA Foundation. These reports were all received as preseted by the Committees of Commissioners.

The Administration Committee report included an update on designing a logo or seal for the PCA. The Committee needs a graphics designer or funds to hire one.

Committee of Commissioners on Overtures.
The following overtures were answered in the negative: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
The following overtures were answerd in the affirmative: 4*, 8

At the recommendation of the Coc the "rationale of overture 9" were stricken from the minutes since it discusses the details of a pending judicial case.

* overture 4 was amended to allow flexibility in wording of the membership vows within the boundaries of the substance and content of the questions. This allows ministers to explain the significance and meaning of the vows as they are administered.

Afternoon Session 1:30-5:30pm
Special Order: Nominating Committee
Uncontested nominees were elected in omnibus to the positions to which they were nominated.
Voting continued to fill the open slots on Assembly committees.

The report of the CoC on overtures continued:
The following overtures were answered in the negative: 9*, 14
The following overtures were answered with reference to overture 9: 15, 17, 19, and communication #2.

* Notes on Overture 9:
This overture had to do with a proposal to establish a study committee to investigate the work of women in the work of the Diaconate.

The CoC recommended that Overture 9 be answered in the negative. A minority report in support of the Overture was challenged as to it's constitutionality but was ruled in order by the Moderator. The ruling of the chair was challenged and required a counted vote since the majority was not clearly visible by visual inspection. The chair was sustained so the minority report was presented to become a substitute for the recommendation of the CoC. The minority report suggested a study committee from various positions on the issue to clarify the role of women in diaconal ministries. This committee would offer pastoral advice to presbyteries which may or many not decide to bring overtures to change the BCO in whichever way they believed was necessary.

Some in the debate wanted to clarify that their support for the minority report did not mean they favored the ordination of women, but welcomed a study report to affirm their position to the churches. The minority report failed and the recommendation of the CoC to deny Overture 9 was passed. The committee closed it's decision with a reminder that the proper procedure would have been for presbyteries to bring specific overtures to deal directly with the BCO if they believed changes should be made.

Report of the Committee for the Review of Presbytery Records
The comments on 70 records were unanimously approved in committe. 69 of these were voted on in an omnibus motion by the Assembly and sustained. Seven records were not included in the omnibus and were brought before the Assembly for seperate approval. Each of the committee recommendations with the exception to a recommitted matter for Northern California was sustained. The details of the recommitted matter and of other debates are noted below.

A minority report was presented regarding the records of Northern California for determining that it was not contrary to the vitals of our religion or constitution for a candidate to affirm that women may to do all that an unordained man is allowed to do in worship. The minority report was concerned that this might be taken to include licensure to exhort in the churches, or the authoritative reading of Scripture in the worship service. The minority moves that the action of this presbytery be addressed as an excepton of substance. The majority contended that the actual context of the candidate's statement did not support the concerns some expressed. A motion was made to recommit this particular matter to the committee. The motion to recommit passed.

In another matter Northern California allowed a church to use the term "diaconate" for a group of unordained men and women performing mercy ministries. The members of this committee were "commissioned as deacons" rather than "ordained as deacons". The committee of Review of Presbytery Records took this as an exception to our standards. This was challenged on the floor by a member of the Northern California Presbytery. His challenge was defeated.

The other recommendations of the committe were sustained by omnibus except for their recommendation 5 which was approved after being modified to clarify its intent.

The Committee on Thanks submitted its report expressing appreciation for those who hosted, planned and directed this Assembly. The Assembly sustained the report of the committee.

Evening Worship 7:30pm
Sermon by Dr. David B. McWilliams (TE Covenant Presbyterian, Lakeland, Florida).
(Dr. McWilliams has been a contributor to the lessons at the Genevan Institute for Reformed Studies.)

The Assembly was adjourned after worship. Since its business was completed early, the Friday scheduled sessions were not necessary.