Moderatorial Address 2011

The Moderator, Rev Sandy McMillan's address to General Assembly 2011 (edited):

What I’d like to do is to share with you something of a vision for our denomination.

Something of what I’d like to see happening among us. Something of where I see, we need to head.

I wonder if any of you remember this Olympic moment from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. What a

disaster for the US team.

One night – August 24. Both men’s and women’s 4 x 100metre track relays. Within 20 minutes of

each other. Both the best teams on their respective cards. Both looking at potential world

records. And both failing to finish. Because they didn’t pass the baton properly.

We have the best news in the world. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have the glorious grace

of God. The Kingdom of his Son. The sure hope of everlasting life. There’s nothing better on offer.

What a tragedy it would be if we failed because we didn’t pass the baton.

I know God won’t fail. I know the gates of hell will not prevail against his church. But I am talking

about our little corner of the vineyard. I’m talking about the Presbyterian Church in NSW. God can

work with us or despite us.

There are three spheres in which we are called to pass the baton:

·        in our families;

·        in our churches; and

·        in our leadership.

General Assembly 2011 At a Glance

The 2011 NSW General Assembly:

·        Elected the Rev AC (Sandy) McMillan, Minister at St. Aidan’s, South Wagga Wagga, as its Moderator

·        Thanked God for the service of Mr PJ Graham, OAM as Moderator for the last twelve months and assured Mr and Mrs Graham of its prayers in the future.

·        Welcomed 15 new ministers to the Assembly

·        Congratulated the Rev Dr CJ Paton on 60 years since his ordination to the ministry and the Rev AR Harvey on 50 years

·        Congratulated Mr MT Gibson, Elder at Wingham on 60 years as an elder and Mr GJ McLennan, Elder at Macquarie Chapel on 50 years as an elder

·        Gave thanks to God for the life, service, witness and ministry of the Rev JJT Campbell and the Very Rev J Mullan

·        Welcomed representatives of the Churches of Christ, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Lutheran Church and the Reformed Churches of Australia

·        Appointed Mr Murray Smith, Elder and lecturer at the PTC as expositor for the 2012 General Assembly

·        Heard three Bible expositions by the Rev RC McKean of Orange on passages from 1 Samuel and thanked him for that contribution to the Assembly

·        Appointed the next Assembly to be held at PLC Sydney on Monday 2 July, 2012 at 7pm

·        Heard the report of the State PWA, thanked the members of the PWA for their contribution to the life and work of the Church and commended that organisation to charges

·        Received the report of its special committee on women’s ministry, referred matters it identified to the Ministry and Mission Committee for further consideration and thanked and discharged the committee

·        Approved the final document of the revision of Breaking the Silence

·        Changed the name of the Safe Church Unit to the Conduct Protocol Unit

·        Enacted  regulations for the Conduct protocol Unit

·        Set stipends and allowances for 2012

·        Encouraged sessions to assist their ministers to attend the Minister’s Family Camp in October 2011 by not counting the time involved against the minister’s annual leave and by having the Committee of Management meet the camp registration cost

·        Encouraged the Theological Education Committee to continue to work closely with the Trustees to bring about a new college complex

·        Encourage presbyteries to sponsor a PTC Elders’ Training course for their congregations

·        Commended PY’s camping ministry, the Timothy Partnership, the work of SRE teachers, PY’s schools ministry and applications for a Federal chaplaincy grant

·        Thanked and discharged the Church and Nation Committee and appointed a Church and Nation Planning group under the leadership of the Rev Dr J McClean to investigate in which way the Church might be more effective in addressing social questions

·        Nominated the Rev. DA Cook as Moderator-General of the 2013 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia

·        Thanked congregations that had given generous financial report to the Ministry Development Program (MDP)

·        Heard an address from the Rev KD Murray, National Missions Director for the Presbyterian Church of Australia

·        Granted the Rev R Mallinson a seat on the Presbytery of the Mid North Coast as a minister emeritus

·        Enacted new regulations for Presbyterian  Aged Care

·        Heard an address from Mr D Gates, newly appointed Headmaster of The Scots School, Bathurst

·        Heard an address from the Rev Dr David Claydon, Chairman of Dealing with Diversity

·        Prayed for Chaplains to the Defence Forces on overseas deployment

·        Commended the document Revising Marriage to members of the Church