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GA Reflections from Wayne Yost

Saturday  Day Two, June 15: GA Begins

This evening was the election of the Moderator. The three nominees were Fahed Abu-Akel, Jerry Tankersley, and Laird Stuart. All three had nominating speeches made by women. All three were given an opportunity to address the Assembly stating their priorities if they were to be elected. All three then responded to each of eight questions put to them by commissioners and youth advisory delegates. The advisory delegates and commissioners then voted for their choice.

Jerry Tankersley seemed to want to preach to the Assembly as if he were at an old time revival meeting. It was very clear that he wanted to be seen as the absolute opposite of what many think is wrong with the Presbyterian Church. From my perspective, he was too syrupy and came across as pompously pious.

Laird Stuart worked hard to be perceived as a moderate. Stuart probably had the best command of the facts, processes and realities of the Presbyterian Church. From my perspective, he was too identified with the Covenant Network. He had been on the steering committee of CovNet, but resigned to be available as a moderatorial nominee.

Fahed Abu-Akel came across as one truly in the middle of the church, politically and theologically. Abu-Akel told a moving story about having to flee his home in 1948 during the first Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Later, he told to two Scottish missionaries who lived in the second floor of the family’s house and who led him to a commitment to Jesus. Still later he told of coming to the States for his education, not being able to speak the language and how difficult that was. From my perspective, Abu-Akel was the most self-revealing of the three nominees.

One the first ballot the results were

On the second ballot the results were

The Assembly had elected Fahed Abu-Akel as Moderator of the 214^th General Assembly.

I find it interesting that two of the last three Moderators have been people who have been deeply affected by Presbyterian missional efforts. Several of the most recent Moderators have been people serving in non-pastoral positions (seminary professors and presidents, mission agencies, prior to election as Moderator. I wonder why this is. This year two pastors were nominated, both from larger membership congregations.