For the week ending April 17, 2026

On April 1, the session received good news that the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee, through its Committee on Mutual Support, approved the session’s application for a Hunger Grant, which will help to financially undergird our church’s Blessing Box. The Hunger Grant totals $4,000! We are grateful for this key, timely support from the Presbytery and we are grateful for Bonnie Shapbell who wrote the grant application on behalf of the session. It was so good to see all of the food donations which were brought to the church last Sunday, on Food for Thought Sunday, which will help to stock the shelves of the Blessing Box. A big thank you goes out to Tom and Linda Tozer who make sure the box is full. We are also extremely grateful for our church’s generous neighbors at Compton's Foodland, for their many donations of food items. We pray for all the persons and families who are blessed through our Blessing Box and we pray that all those who are experiencing food insecurity may find their needs filled, through this and other sources of support. Thank you all for your generous support of this important and essential gospel ministry

Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 26, when the Nashville Choral Project returns to lead us in worship. They were absolutely fantastic when they visited before, and we were truly blessed by their beautiful, spirit‑filled singing. You won’t want to miss this special morning of music and praise.

Well, we are now at the end of discussion on the Presbyterian Church government organizational structure. We have addressed the Session, the Presbytery and the Synod. Now the General Assembly.
But before we do that let’s discuss the written guidelines or the rules. If we were discussing the United States government, it would discussion on the U.S. Constitution. For the Presbyterian governmental system (PCUSA) it is the Book of Order. The Presbyterian Book of Order is the constitutional guide that explains how the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) organizes its life, worship, governance, and mission. It sets the rules and principles for everything from how congregations operate to how pastors are called and how decisions are made in the wider church. It covers the foundations of Presbyterian policy, the form of government, the directory for worship, and rules for discipline.
The General Assembly is the national leadership for the Presbyterian Church USA. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly meets every two years. The biennial gathering where commissioners from all presbyteries come together for worship, discernment, and decision-making. The General Assembly sets national policy, theology, and mission priorities. It oversees national agencies (e.g., Presbyterian Mission Agency). During these meetings they can make constitutional changes to the Book of Order. In recent years they have expanded inclusion language, updated ordination standards, and strengthened protection policies. The updates are then added to the Book of Order. The General Assembly sets broad direction but does not micromanage local churches.