Evangelical Presbyterian Church's General Assembly to Have Record Attendance

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, June 17, 2013

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church is set to have the record number for their 33rd General Assembly, which will be held at Cherry Hills Community Church in Colorado.

Dana Cadman, director of communications and information services with the growing conservative Presbyterian denomination, told The Christian Post that 1,180 people, more than 620 of whom are voting commissioners, will be attending.

"This year's attendance is 50 percent greater than last year's; we have 35 percent more voting commissioners than last year," said Cadman. "I think that it is wonderful to have so many people worshiping and serving together."

The 33rd General Assembly will be a multiday event, beginning on Tuesday morning with a "Chaplains Workshop" and concluding Saturday with various business sessions and worship services.

The theme for this year's General Assembly is "In Christ Alone," a motto Cadman said was approved by the EPC Committee on Administration and developed "with the host church."

For the Assembly Workshop on Wednesday, there will be Mark Mittelberg, author of Becoming a Contagious Church, Dr. Nancy Grisham, the author of Thriving, and Garry Poole, author of Seeker Small Groups. Also, there will be a taped presentation by noted Christian apologist and author Lee Strobel.

Voting members will get to decide various items on the agenda, including a vote on forming a new regional body called the Great Plains Presbytery, a vote to approve a revised and updated position paper on abortion, and a vote on whether or not to enter into a fraternal agreement with the Evangelical Reformed Church of Kazakhstan.

Cadman told CP that such a "fraternal agreement," if approved, would involve stronger official ties to the ERCK in its effort to evangelize the mostly Muslim country in Central Asia.

"We will exchange representatives annually and work together to expand the kingdom of God in Kazakhstan," said Cadman.

The multiday General Assembly will be held at Cherry Hills Community Church of Highlands Ranch. Cherry Hills has been the location of the EPC's annual General Assembly three times in the past; 1988, 1998, and 2007.

Kelly Jelniker, communications director for Cherry Hills Community Church, told The Christian Post about the appeal EPC has with using their location.

"Cherry Hills is mostly selected because of the size of our facilities and we are used to putting on large events," said Jelniker.

"Colorado is also a wonderful summer vacation spot that people can bring their families and stay a while after the Assembly."

Founded in 1981, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination more theologically conservative than the largest denomination in the country, which is Presbyterian Church (USA).

"We are evangelical in our zeal for the Gospel, as well as, evangelism, missions and living obediently as followers of Jesus," reads the "About the EPC" section on their website. "At the same time, we are rooted deeply in the Protestant Reformation and especially the theological and pastoral work of John Calvin."