RICHMOND, July 1 - The 216th General Assembly elected 243 Presbyterians Thursday morning to serve on national committees, boards and agencies of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Commissioners elected the entire slate of nominees recommended by the General Assembly Nominating Committee (GANC).

Two people nominated by last year's moderator, the Rev. Susan Andrews, to the Nominating Committee - Laura VanDale of the Synod of the Covenant and Elona Street-Stewart of the Synod of Lakes and Prairies - were challenged by nominations from the floor, but both prevailed by wide margins.

All Assembly-level nominations are made by the GANC except those to the GANC itself, which are made by Assembly moderators on a rotating basis. The GANC has 16 members, one from each synod. Andrews nominated seven - five for the class of 2010, and two for terms ending in 2008.