7.. Youth Advisory Delegates, Ellie Kennemer, from
Robert Donnell Presbytery and Cosby King from
Murfreesboro Presbytery, brought the devotionals on
Thursday morning.
8. Reverend Paul Tucker, worship director for
General Assembly, provided a closing devotional
entitled “More Holy Conversations,” based on
Colossians 1:24-29.

SUMMARY OF ACTIONS
193rd General Assembly
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Meeting June 17-21, 2024
Evansville, IN
Michael Sharpe, Stated Clerk

The following summary is NOT theauthoritative document for guiding theChurch’s action. Only the General Assembly
Minutes can serve that purpose.

OUR UNITED OUTREACH
9. Approved a goal of $2,500,000 for Our United
Outreach (OUO) for 2025.
10. The OUO Committee sponsored a Lunch andLearn meal during GA week. The Reverend Jeff
McMichael, Development Coordinator for OUO,served as master of ceremonies. In his opening
comments he announced the purpose of the luncheon:to educate, promote, and encourage those inattendance “to be part of something bigger thanthemselves.”
11. Commends all churches who currently have acommitment to giving to OUO and encouraged all
churches to consider giving to OUO.
12. Expressed thanks to the hard work done by Rev.
McMichael (OUO Development Director) and theOUO Committee.

ORGANIZATION
1. Elected the Reverend Rev. Dr. Larry Blakeburn,Presbytery of East Tennessee, as the Moderator.
2. Elected the Reverend Nick Chambers, Arkansas
Presbytery, as the Vice Moderator.
3. Elected thirty-four people to serve on
denominational boards and entities.
4. Re-elected Rev. Mike Sharpe as Stated Clerk andRev. Lisa Scott as Engrossing Clerk.
5. The Elder Lewis Leon Cole, board member of theGeneral Assembly Executive Board (CPCA) andModerator of Kentucky Synod (CPCA), brought
greetings on behalf of the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church in America.

MINISTRY COUNCIL
13. Acknowledged the hard work and dedication of all
members of the Ministry Council’s four ministry
teams and its elected membership.
14. Noted that the CP Church in Colombia turns 100
years old in 2025. To help celebrate, the Missions
Ministry Team has prepared various events in which
all can participate and celebrate with our brothers andsisters in Colombia.
15. In response to a call for the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church to enter a time of reconciliation,
GA tasked the Ministry Council with developing aninitiative to the 194th General Assembly to address any
issue that might divide the Cumberland PresbyterianChurch.

WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
6. The opening worship/communion service was heldon Monday evening. Retiring Moderator Reverend
Mitch Boulton, Cornerstone Presbytery, delivered a
sermon entitled, “Holy Conversations” based on 2
Timothy 1:9. The Reverends Mitch Boulton and Paul
Tucker (GA Worship Director, Nashville Presbytery)
served as co-celebrants of the Sacrament of Holy
Communion. A brief service of installation of thenewly elected moderator and vice moderator was partof the worship service.

COMMISSION ON FEDERAL CHAPLAINS
16. Instructed presbyteries in the United States toencourage each congregation to receive an offering on
the last Sunday of May, or another designated day, tosupport our ministry through Presbyterian Council for
Federal Chaplains.
17. Encouraged Clergy and Presbytery Committees on
Probationer Care to include in their discussions of acall with a ministerial candidate, the call to chaplaincy
as a call to pastoral ministry and explain that thefederal chaplaincies include other agencies beyond
the branches of the military.
18. Encouraged presbyteries to make special efforts
to communicate with those members serving as
chaplains from their presbytery to include more thanjust the actions of presbytery.
19. That the General Assembly Office request
additional information from Presbytery Clerks
regarding types of chaplaincy work for those serving
as non-military chaplains (e.g. hospital, hospice,school, first responder), and for those that serve as
both pastor and chaplain for inclusion in the Chaplain
section of the Yearbook.
MEMPHIS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
20. Extended appreciation to the leadership and staffof MTS for their ministry during these challenging
times for seminary institutions and as they explore anew vision while maintaining the integrity ofCumberland Presbyterian faith and theology.
21. Expressed gratitude to trustee Rev. Dr. Yoong
Kim and Rev. Rian Puckett for their faithful service to
MTS and the CPC.
22. Expressed appreciation to MTS for reporting its
intention to sell the Hilliard Hall property, which ispresently unused and available.
23. Acknowledged the Report of the Board ofTrustees of MTS that circumstances create a need for
the Seminary to enter into acquisition or merger
discussions with other institutions and expressed hopethat the Seminary will begin those discussions withBethel University; and requested that the Seminary
keep representatives with the GA Corporation and thePastoral Development Ministry Team apprised ofacquisition or merger discussions, especiallyconcerning the implications of such actions for theCPC; that the GA Corporation defer consideration ofany merger or acquisition until more information isavailable; and the GA plan a called meeting of the GA
to address a merger or acquisition at the appropriatetime.
24. Approved that the third Sunday in August (August18, 2024 and August 17, 2025) be included in theChurch Calendar as Seminary/PAS Sunday andencouraged all churches to share information about
MTS and PAS and receive a special offering on thatday, or on a more convenient day of the session’s
choosing. MTS leadership has committed to focusing
these annual funds on growing the Baird-Buck
Endowment for CP Studies until the Chair in CP
Studies is fully funded.

BETHEL UNIVERSITY
25. Expressed appreciation to Dr. Walter Butler forhis service as past President; the Rev. Dr. Robert
Watkins for serving as interim President of Bethel
University; the Board of Trustees for the ministry insecuring the leadership of the new President Dr. PerryMoulds.
26. Welcomed Dr. Perry Moulds pledging to support
him in prayer.
27. Asked presbyteries worldwide to support theuniversity in prayers, financial offerings and referralof students.
28. That Bethel University Sunday – November 3,2024, be announced in denominational calendars,publications and social media.
29. Urged pastors, elders, and church leaders to
discuss with their youth and adult learners thepossibility of attending Bethel University.
30. Called on Cumberland Presbyterians worldwide
to support Bethel University in prayers, financial
support and in recommending students.
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIANYOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
31. Commended Cumberland Youth and Family
Services and the staff for their continued ministry ofserving various areas of family needs: residential carefor children and families with single parents,
supervised independent living, foster care andadoption, crisis intervention and counseling services.
32. Added Children’s Home Sunday to the Church
Calendar. In 2025 the observance date is March 9.
33. Encouraged Cumberland Presbyterians tocontinue financial support, prayers and volunteer
service in this ministry to and with the mostvulnerable.
HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
34. Expressed appreciation to Archivist Susan Knight
Gore and the Historical Foundation for the continued
work done to preserve our history as Cumberland
Presbyterians, both past history and present history.
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
35. Adopted the “Guidelines for Changes inCongregational Affiliation.”
36. Interpreted the constitution (Const. 9.4c) byclearly answering the following questions regarding
the oaths taken during the ordination ofelders/deacons (2.92) and ministers (6.36) and adding
the assembly’s interpretive rulings to the Cumberland
Presbyterian Digest:

Question 1: Regarding sections 2.92 and 6.36,
questions I-VII, must a licentiate seeking ordination
to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament or a layperson
seeking ordination as a deacon or elder within theCumberland Presbyterian Church answer in theaffirmative to each of their respective constitutionalquestions?
The Constitution already states that the questions
must be answered in the affirmative before
ordination and we concur with the Constitution.
Question 2: Regarding sections 2.92 and 6.36,
question II: is the entire Confession of Faith sections
1.0 through 7.08 “essential doctrines” for theCumberland Presbyterian Church in faith and practice,or are some portions of the Confession of Faith“essential” and some portions “non-essential”? Ifsome of the Confession is non-essential, which
portions are essential? Who or what has the authority
to determine which portions are essential?
We assert that the Confession of Faith and theConstitution do not contain nonessentials.
Question 3: If a minister, elder, or deacon duly
ordained in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
willingly and openly preaches and teaches against ourdoctrine, should they be subject to disciplinary action
by their proper judicatory?
According to the Constitution this question isaddressed by the Rules of Discipline. 4.104.
37. Adopted the following:
Statement on Homosexuality
Whereas, in our society today, there are many
issues which concern the people of God, one such
issue being the rise in acceptance of and openness
toward homosexual activity, and we, of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church, believe there is aneed to state clearly our understanding of the Biblicalteaching about homosexual activity, andWhereas, it is also our desire to set forth ourposition regarding the appropriate response ofChristians and the church to this critical issue,
especially in light of the trend in some Christianbodies toward the ordination of practicing
homosexuals, andWhereas, we believe the scripture of the Old and
New Testaments to be the inspired word of God, thesource of authority for faith and practice, andtherefore, contemporary sexual attitudes andbehavior are to be judged in the light of the Bible
rather than the Bible being reinterpreted, modified, oroverturned by current cultural trends in thought andbehavior,
Be it resolved, that the General Assembly of theCumberland Presbyterian Church go on record
affirming that Biblical teaching makes it clear that thepractice of homosexuality is a sin, yet with theunderstanding that while God loves the sinner, He
hates the sin, and His grace is available to all, “ForGod did not send His Son into the world to condemn
the world, but to save the world through Him” (John3:17);
Be it further resolved, that since the practice ofhomosexuality is incompatible with a Christian
lifestyle and since officers of the church must be“examples to the flock” the General Assembly go onrecord stating that the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church does not condone the ordination of practicing
homosexuals as Deacons, Elders or Ministers of Wordand Sacrament; andBe it further resolved, that the General Assemblystate as its position that we, as Christians who areourselves sinners redeemed by the grace of God, mustreach out to those persons who are struggling withhomosexuality, offering them Christian love,
education, friendship, therapy and intercession to theend that they and we may experience true wholenessthrough the freeing, renewing grace of God in Jesus
Christ.
As with any statement from General Assembly, any
disciplinary actions arising from the interpretation ofthis statement must be conducted according to theRules of Discipline.
(Note-this statement is a slight modification of.
an early statement adopted by the GA in 1996).
Statement to be distributed by the Stated Clerk of theGeneral Assembly to all churches and ministers.
38. Referred to the Joint Committee on Amendments
the following change to the Rules of Discipline,Section 2.5: “Each presbytery shall have a standing
commission which shall be called the “disciplinarycommission.” Each judicatory above the session shallhave a standing commission which shall be called the“judiciary committee.” Notwithstanding that thesebodies may be called “committees,” each of thesestanding commissions shall exercise the powers andresponsibilities entrusted to it under these Rules andshall be authorized to deliberate upon and conclude
any business submitted to it pursuant to these Rules.
A judicatory may assign other duties andresponsibilities to its judiciary committee or its
disciplinary commission, with or without the authority
to act upon or to conclude such other matters,” bereceived favorably and referred to the Joint
Committee on Amendments.
39. Referred to the Joint Committee on Amendments
a Memorial from Nashville Presbytery requesting that
following be added to the Constitution as new section(2.97), to wit: “The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America

having the same Confession and Constitution, shallrecognize and accept the ordinations of ministers,
elders, and/or deacons should a person ordained to
one of these offices transfer from one Cumberland
Presbyterian denomination to the other”.
40. Approved plans by the GA Judiciary Committeeto schedule a zoom meeting with leadership in Cauca
Valley Presbytery to discuss the concerns that wereexpressed in the memorial that presbytery sent to the192nd General Assembly.
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
41. Approved the Church Calendar dates for 20242025.
42. Encouraged all churches, presbyteries anddenominational ministries to work towards theimplementation of the Vision and Strategy Action Planfor the CPC as adopted by the 193rd General Assembly.
43. Formed a committee to explore the appropriate
next steps in trademark registration of the words“Cumberland Presbyterian”.
THEOLOGY AND SOCIAL CONCERNS
44. Affirmed the excellent work of the Unified
Committee on Theology and Social Concerns andencouraged all congregations and presbyteries of both
the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and theCumberland Presbyterian Church in America toreceive the forthcoming new workshop design onbaptism.
STEWARDSHIP
45. Expressed gratitude and thanks to the staff of theBoard of Stewardship, Foundation and Benefits for all
their diligent work.
MISCELLANEOUS
46. “Action, Inspiration & Holy Conversations”, wasthe topic of a joint luncheon & program sponsored by
the Cumberland Youth and Family Services, Bethel
University and Memphis Theological Seminary washeld on Wednesday evening. Elder Jo Ann Shugert(Red River Presbytery) served as moderator of a panel
discussion presented by Ms. Courtney Banatoski,
Cumberland Youth and Family Services President andChief Executive Officer; Rev. Dr. Robert Watkins
Bethel University interim President; and Rev. Dr.
Jody Hill, Memphis Theological Seminary President.
The panelists shared information regarding theirrespective institutions and offered appreciation for theprayers and mission support given by Cumberland
Presbyterians.
47. The Women in Ministry Reception was held on
Wednesday evening, hosted by MTS/PAS CPWM

and the Ministry Council’s Pastoral Development
Ministry Team. Clergy Women of the Year recipientswere announced. The international award waspresented to the Reverend Luz Maria Hebron (AndesPresbytery) and the USA award was presented to theReverend Lisa Oliver (Murfreesboro Presbytery).
48. Commissioned a new missionary family to Spain:
Rev. Edgar and Iris Straube and their children Maria,
Lucas and Noah.
49. The following new denominational staff wereintroduced: Rev. Jen Newell, Louisa Woosley
Preaching Initiative Program Director; Rev. JustinRichter, Director Global Missions. Recognition wasalso given to Mrs. Cindy Martin from the Discipleship
Ministry Team after twenty-six years of service.
50. The General Assembly adopted a Resolution ofThanks presented by the Elder Michael Fare, MissouriPresbytery.
NEXT MEETING
51. The General Assembly adjourned to meet in
Knoxville, TN on June 15-19, 2025.
Copies of the General Assembly Minutes whencompleted will be made available in the following
formats:• Online: www.cumberland.org/gao• A limited supply of printed copies will be madeavailable through the Cumberland Presbyterian
Resource Center (901-276-4581).
• Copies of the Minutes on jump drive formatwill also be available from the General
Assembly Office. Contact Elizabeth Vaughn at:
901-276-4572,
extension226
or
eav@cumberland.org
2024 General Assembly Theme & Logo: