It's a gray, rainy day here in Minneapolis. The committees have begun their work. Attended the GA Prayer Breakfast this morning. Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons presented a meditation on the story of Jesus sleeping out on the lake while the disciples were very frightened during a storm. He closed with his mantra : "Get in the boat, go out into the lake, there will be a storm and you will not die." Phyllis Tickle, author of "The Great Emergence" spoke briefly about her book and participated in a time of Q&A.

Following breakfast I sat in with all three committees to which our presbytery folks have been assigned: YAAD Jessica Walter (General Assembly Procedures); Elder Donna Rose (Health Issues); and, Rev. Beth Sentell (Middle Governing Bodies). All three committees were in the open hearing portion of their work. Remember, if you want to follow along, log into www.pc-biz.org. You can see what items are being discussed, what decisions might have already been made and what's coming up.

Jessica made a comment to me that this assembly sure was different from her home church (Chidester, Tates Bluff). I reminded her that the committee she sits on is three times larger than her church.

Edith and I attended the Small Church Luncheon and picked up some new resources on small church ministry. Heard some good warm success stories about churches living through struggles and becoming stronger.

There seems to be a lull in the energy level around here right now. Folks are going about their business in a friendly, collegial way. We'll see if it holds.

'til later........