“We are standing here because of the gospel which met us 160 years ago," said Vanuatu-native Rev. George Aki to commissioners at this year's General Assembly.

Étant très impliqué socialement, politiquement et dans des mouvements d'église, j'ai participé à de nombreuses assemblées délibérantes dans ma vie. Avec leurs débats, leurs polarisations dans certains cas des ruptures d'autres fois des compromis ou des consensus géniaux.

International Affairs Committee made a recommendation endorsing visits to the Holy Land sponsored by the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem. It failed to pass after commissioners suggested evidence had been found for Sabeel being anti-Semitic; it was also recommended that the court be offered more than one tour group through which to visit the Holy Land.

Having been very much involved socially, politically and in church movements, I have participated in many public assemblies in my life. With their debates, their polarizations, in some cases ruptures, in other cases compromise or even at times brilliant consensus.

I am the student representative of St. Andrew's Hall/VST and a member of Haney, in the Presbytery of Westminster. Moderator, I would first like to thank you for allowing me to address this assembly and giving me permission to observe and participate in the deliberations of this past week. I have enjoyed the week immensely; being here at General Assembly has confirmed for me that I am definitely a Presbyterian because I had the time of my life. I suppose my excitement at being here was heightened by the difficult trip I had getting here. After a flight from Vancouver to Toronto and a lengthy layover in the airport there, I flew into Ottawa through a thunderstorm – I could see forks of lightning outside the windows as we landed, and we had a long period of waiting on the tarmac for several hours until the storm cleared and we could disembark. I have heard people say that 'the journey is more important than the destination,' but I can tell you that after a long and difficult journey, arriving at your destination and being greeted by the friendly faces of the local arrangements committee is pretty wonderful.

When the Order of Diaconal Ministries called upon their longest-serving member, 100-year-old Margaret Williams, to say a few words in honour of their centennial year, the diminutive lady took the microphone, said, "Thank you very much," then stood back and smiled.

At this General Assembly, I saw the struggle of the Presbyterian Church trying to cope with the changing world. I sensed that many recognized the church could not remain as it had been. How can we be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ while meaningfully engaging in a dialogue with the changing world that surrounds us? That was the big question we were struggling with at this Assembly. The Christian community has been struggling with that question from the very beginning. There was a lengthy debate about the uniqueness of Christ. Behind this debate, I saw that it was not just about the uniqueness of Christ but our own identity. Who are we in the context of this fast changing world? What is our own uniqueness?

Rev. Dr. Cheol Soon Park, Moderator of this year's General Asembly, wants to see the church move to the forefront of society. "Church should have the vision and understanding of the future or of the next generation, and we as a Christian community should show the people what to prepare and how to prepare and how we should move into the next stage; so my main theme is change."

"We are trying to help women see where the good news lies. We are taking the veil off issues they normally don't talk about," said Dr. Mercy Oduyoye, founder of The Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, in her address to commissioners at the E.H. Johnson Award Luncheon on June 3.

In Matthew 5, Jesus says "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled … Blessed are those who mourn, for the will be comforted." When we seek justice, we have Christ's promise that we will find it in Him, that the brokenness in our relationships with God, our planet and each other will be healed and we will be reconciled through the grace of Jesus Christ.- Curtis Babitz, Student Representative, St. Andrew's Hall/Vancouver School of Theology