08240
March 27, 2008

NJ Presbyterians host GA moderator candidates

All four nominees to appear at April 25 soiree

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — A group of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in New Brunswick Presbytery is getting a jump on The Presbyterian Outlook, hosting a “meet and greet” event on April 25 at which all four candidates for moderator of the upcoming 218th General Assembly (2008) have agreed to attend.

The evening event, sponsored by a group calling itself the Central Jersey Moderator Candidate Host Committee, will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, NJ.

Historically, the first (and usually only) joint appearance of moderator candidates prior to the election is the “Outlook Dinner,” at the Assembly site just prior to the election. That event is sponsored each Assembly by the independent weekly news and commentary magazine published in Richmond, VA.

“It’s wonderful that the members of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville and other area Presbyterians get a chance to meet the future leader of the PC(USA) General Assembly,” said the Rev. Jeffrey Vamos, pastor of the host church.

The announced candidates for moderator to date are:

• The Rev. Bill Teng, a pastor in Alexandria, VA (National Capital Presbytery);

• The Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, a pastor in San Francisco (San Francisco Presbytery);

• Elder Roger Shoemaker of Lincoln, NE (Homestead Presbytery), who is active in international mission partnerships, particularly the Czech Republic; and

• Rev. Carl Mazza, a homeless and community ministry director in Elkton, MD (New Castle Presbytery).

Information for this article furnished by Neal D. Presa, Central Jersey Moderator Candidate Host Committee, (908) 433-4527, ndpresa@yahoo.com and Mark Smith, Central Jersey Moderator Candidate Host Committee, (609) 585-1849, markrsmith@gmail.com