Welcome to the fourth biennial installment of the Insider's Guide to the General Assembly. The purpose of this blog is not just to report what the Assembly does in Detroit, but to reflect on how it happened and what it means for the church. If you want to get a sense of how this works, I invite you to take a look at my previous Insider's Guide blogs, ga218insider.blogspot.com, ga219insider.blogspot.com, and ga220insider.blogspot.com.
Let me introduce myself. I am the Co-leader for Mission and Partnership in the Synod of the Sun, which embraces 11 presbyteries and 840 congregations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The Synod of the Sun is one of many synods in transition into a more missional identity. In addition to our presbyteries and congregations, I work with over 20 mission partners, programs, and networks to coordinate and expand our mission profile. If you aren't familiar with Solar under the Sun, our signature mission program, I invite you to visit their website www.solarunderthesun.org. Previously, I served for almost 10 years as an executive presbyter and over 20 years in parish ministry.
I am also what people call a "polity wonk." I am one of a select group to have served on both the General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission (1997-2003) and the Advisory Committee on the Constitution (2006-2012). For my last two years on the ACC I was constitutional adviser to the Mid Councils Commission (MCC1). I attended many of the meetings of the second commission (MCC2) as well. You can find a more complete curriculum vitae at my personal website, dansaperstein.blogspot.com.
Look for pre-assembly blog posts in the coming weeks dealing with how to make the most of a visit to the Assembly. I am changing my biennial list of "Top Ten Issues," breaking them up into "Hot Button Issues," "Sleeper Issues," and "Trojan Horse Issues." Then, during the Assembly, I will post daily updates of Assembly highlights, lowlights, and sidelights.
Every Assembly is unique, and brings unique surprises.This one will undoubtedly shape the future of the PC(USA) for years to come. I look forward to sharing it with you.
