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Every year PCV Deputy Clerk Peter Phillips produces a comprehensive summary of the General Assembly proceedings. (Held October 7-10)
It was circulated via the PCV News Network, with the only caveat on public distribution being that it be reproduced unedited.
So, here it is.

General Assembly Report 2013
Highlights
‘Highlights’ are, of course, very personal, and other commissioners would undoubtedly have their own — perhaps the wonderful start given the Assembly by the Opening service on Monday evening, with outstanding preaching by the Rt Rev David Cook, Moderator General of the PCA , emphasising the importance of passing the gospel on the next generation, or one or more of the many interesting and challenging guest speakers, such as Patrick Sookhdeo of the Barnabas Fund, or one or more of the excellent reports and helpful deliverances of the Assembly’s committees — but for me the highlight of the Assembly was the first of the three expositions of the Assembly Expositor, Rev Dr Jared Hood, given at the Tuesday morning Communion Service.
Dr Hood’s expositions were focussed around a Calvin quote given him by the Moderator, Rt Rev David Palmer: Christ was given to us by God’s generosity, to be grasped and possessed by us in faith. By partaking of him, we principally receive a double grace: namely, that being reconciled to God through Christ’s blamelessness, we may have in heaven instead of a Judge a gracious Father; and secondly, that sanctified by Christ’s spirit we may cultivate blamelessness and purity of life. From this Dr Hood brought us three memorable expositions — but the first, on Union with Christ, with his text from Song of Songs 2:16, ‘My Beloved is mine, and I am his, was my ‘highlight’. How wonderful it was to be reminded how this neglected text is not merely about marriage, but about the promises of God’s covenant, I will be your God, you will be my people; about Christ, and his great love for us, and our love for him as our beloved, and our fellowship with him.

Remembering and Acknowledging Important People
Traditionally, Assemblies begin with what are sometimes referred to as ‘formalities.’ Included amongst these is the approval of ‘Royal Address’ – an assurance of loyalty and of our prayers for the Queen; it also approves ‘Loyal Addresses’ to the Governor General, the Prime Minister, and to our Premier, reminding them of their place under God, and assuring them of our church’s prayers for them. Please pray for them!
Early in the Assembly the Moderator welcomes new members; Ministerial and Elders’ Jubilees are commemorated, and Ministerial and Elders’ deaths since the last Assembly remembered. This year the Assembly noted the long service of Rev Peter Locke (60 years since ordination), of Rev John Cromarty (50 years since ordination as an elder), of Elder Rex McCarron (50 years an elder); of Elder Wally French (50 years as an elder), of Elder Neil Hamilton (60 years as an elder), of Elder Elizabeth Cutler (40 years an elder) and of Elder Gilbert Bell (65 years an elder), and the passing of Rev Alexander Thomas Stevens (1919 – 2012), Rev Henri Antoine Joyeux (1931 – 2013); Mr John Harold Gething, home missionary (1942 – 2013); and Elders Harold Evans and Jacobus Louws. We rejoice in God’s goodness in giving his church such faithful servants.

Significant Decisions
Amongst the more significant decisions taken by the Assembly were

• Its appointment of Rev Dr Jared Hood to the position of Old Testament Lecturer at the Presbyterian Theological College, Victoria for a term of seven years.
• Its re-appointment of Rev Dr John Wilson as Assembly Clerk for a five year term on a full time basis and with expanded responsibilities.
• Its response to advice that its policies and practices for protecting against and dealing with sexual abuse within the church are not sufficient to meet Victorian law. The Assembly resolved to
• approve in principle of the replacement of its Breaking the Silence policy and procedures with the proposed “Safe Church – PCV” Policy, Code of Conduct and procedures for handling complaints modelled on the PCA(NSW) version (July 2011) of Breaking the Silence, adjusted according to Victorian law. (In the interim, the principles and practices of PCV’s existing Breaking the Silence policy will apply in so far as they are appropriate.)
• establish a Safe Church Unit (SCU), with suitable staff to be appointed.
• approve new policies and code of conduct: “Our Policy Statement” and “Our Code of Conduct.”
• place the Safe Church Unit organisationally under the Assembly Clerk.
• fund the cost of the Safe Church Unit by an annual levy on parishes which is to be based on the number of communicants and adherents in a similar manner to the way the insurance costs are recovered from parishes.
• It is sad that such measures are necessary, but we must act to protect the vulnerable, to comply with the law and to honour the name of our Saviour by giving diligent attention to these serious matters.

Special Encouragements

Of the many encouragements of the Assembly, four matters stood out to me as especially encouraging.

• The first is PYV. The Assembly approved a restatement of its Aim and Objectives: PYV aims to glorify God by assisting the congregations of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria in the development and nurture of youth for the service of Christ Jesus.’ PYV is doing a great work for the present and the future; praise the Lord!
• The second was Dayspring Day; how wonderful that children are being encouraged and enthused in the work of mission — congratulations to Cassie Hood and the PWMU!
• The third was the report of the Social Services Committee, and especially progress in maintaining and improving its aged care facility at Kilsyth, ‘Kirkbrae’; how good to see that important work in good shape.
• And the fourth was PCV progress in Church Planting; reports by Russ Grinter and Peter Owen and Richard Wilson caused us to rejoice in God’s goodness. The Assembly resolved to ‘note with gratitude to God the progress of all four church plants and be especially prayerful for Darebin Presbyterian Church, Point Cook Presbyterian Church and Reforming Church, Bendigo as they enter into their second years’ — and we will!

Other Matters
The Assembly

• recognised the work of its Archivist, Mrs Chris Palmer and of her associates.
• encouraged congregations to avail themselves of resources offered by the Ministry Development Committee to engage in evangelism training and use opportunities to share their faith.
• accepted the advice of the Board of Investment and Finance to make grants from funds held for GAA purposes to support the work of the Presbyterian Church in South Australia and Western Australia.
• resolved to pray for METRO and youthMETRO work and trainees.
• commended parishes which had fully subscribed their allocations to its General Mission Program.
• encouraged support for the Bible Society in Australia.
• thanked God for the blessings of the CENC’s Colloquium, and encouraged Christians to be informed about the policies and platforms that their parliamentary candidates support, especially on the important issue of same-sex marriage.
• encouraged the people of the church to pray that the Lord would send labourers into his harvest fields, especially to the countless millions who have not yet heard the gospel.
• commends the PresAID 2013 Christmas Appeal to all congregations and Boards of Management for safe water for villages by Lake Victoria, Uganda, and for the Presbyterian Church of Timor Leste.
• rejoiced with Belgrave Heights Christian School in the Lord’s blessing on it and its gospel ministry.
• honoured the ladies of the Home Mission Workers Association.
• encouraged support for the work of Christian Witness to Israel in reaching the Jews of Melbourne with the gospel.
• urged prayer for military chaplains as they minister in the name of Christ to ADF personnel at home and overseas.
• urged diligent prayer that the Lord will provide gifted pastors and teachers to candidate for the ministry of our church.
• heard a most encouraging report of progress at Cranbourne Home Mission Station, and approved the Presbytery ordaining Licentiate Peter Roberts, appointed there.
• urged prayer for hospital chaplains, and especially Christine LePage and Ian Waller (Northern and Western Hospitals)
• reappointed, with thanks to God for her valued ministry to ministers’ wives, Miss Elspeth Slater to the position of Pastoral Support Worker, PCV Ministry Wives.
• in the light of the ongoing conflict in Egypt and Syria, urges congregations to give generously to the Barnabas Fund as a practical expression of our love and concern for our fellow Christians.
• established an ad hoc committee on Development of Presbyterian Christian Schooling in Victoria, to report back to the 2014 Assembly on the challenge of developing such schooling – please pray!
• resolved to adjourn its meeting to the 6th of November to consider appeals 2-7!

Peter Phillips, Deputy Clerk.