The third day of the 151st General Assembly at York University in Toronto opened with worship led by Cairn and Kintail Camps, bringing energy and joy to those gathered. Camp songs had people interacting, singing, clapping, waving their arms and laughing together; because, “God loves a joyful noise. And it doesn’t have to be in sync!” The reading was Mark 10:13-16, where Jesus says, “Let the children come to me.” The Rev. Theresa McDonald shared a reflection on “Holy Play.”
In 2025, an overture requested that there be a day at the 2026 General Assembly focusing on the PCC camps. The PCC’s outdoor ministry has been taking place from coast to coast for the past 100 years. Today there are 13 unique camp programs happening across the country. A presentation led the Assembly on a tour of these camps from East to West, with voices and images from each. Heartfelt stories were shared by commissioners – current and past staff, leaders, chaplains, directors and campers – who experienced faith formation at one of these camps. They described camp as a sanctuary. A place where God is at work among the bug bites, marshmallows, campfires and silly songs. A place where seeds are planted, hospitality is offered, and space is given for children to be their true selves as they experience the love of God – some for the first time. The Rev. Theresa McDonald concluded with these words, “There is life and joy and hope in our Presbyterian camps. The beauty of God’s creation is all around. Every day is to live in Christian community and to be surrounded by God’s love.”
Other business included a continuation of the Life and Mission Agency (LMA) report, which was first introduced on Monday evening, when Presbyterian World Service & Development’s co-convener, Shahrzad Kandalaft, reminded those gathered that more than anything, the relief and development agency’s report was about people. On Tuesday, three guests rounded out the LMA’s report: PCC mission staff in Nepal, Lora Nafzinger, and Deacon Bassem Thabet and Nader Anton Abuamsha, who represent the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR), Middle East Council of Churches, who shared what they described as conditions that are not abstract but deeply personal lived experiences.
PCC international mission staff, the Rev. Lora Nafziger , spoke passionately about her work in Nepal to the Assembly. “The PCC is making a big impact in the small country of Nepal. Your gifts to Presbyterians Sharing are used to fund mission staff, and your gifts to PWS&D fund mission projects. So, thank you,” she said. Lora serves as Staff Care and Counselling Advisor with United Mission to Nepal (UMN), a faith-based international NGO that strives to help all Nepalis achieve a fuller life through medical and community development programs. Stationed in Kathmandu, Lora provides spiritual and emotional support to all expatriate UMN staff and key Nepali staff, encouraging personal and team growth. To this mission work in Nepal, Lora brings her background as a clinical social worker and a pastor. Lora is jointly appointed by the Mennonite Mission Network and The Presbyterian Church in Canada. She closed her presentation with, “God loves the world, and each person is made in the divine image of God. All are beloved. May this love story shine with everyone that we interact with.”
Deacon Bassem Thabet said that, as a father, all he wants for his children is for them to walk freely down the street without fear. But they know they are not safe, and that even speaking Arabic, their mother tongue, singles them out as targets for violence. He warned that if the world only speaks about the holy land as a place of conflict, then the living stones—the people who live there—will become invisible. However, Deacon Thabet also said that he not only comes to this gathering with words of pain but also with words of hope, as the DSPR know that they are not alone. However, he pleaded that the PCC continue its advocacy work, as these efforts matter. “Stand with us.”
Nader Anton Abuamsha amplified this by asking the PCC to continue walking alongside the churches in the Middle East and to continue to stand against racism, supremacy and domination by an apartheid regime and the unrelenting violence against Palestinians that represents an existential threat to their very existence. He noted that from the very beginning, DSPR was not only a humanitarian project but also an expression of Christian discipleship. Within an ongoing reality of home demolitions, economic deprivations, and restrictions on movement, another dangerous trend is the silencing of voices that call for dignity and liberation from occupation. Nader noted that the Presbyterian tradition holds that Christian faith must engage with the reality of the world and reject racism and colonialism. These are not simply slogans but profoundly biblical values that are needed. Justice and mercy belong together. And this means that ideologies that justify domination must be rejected. Understanding domination, following Christ means insisting that every human being is made in the image of God.
Representatives from the PCC theological colleges—Presbyterian College, St. Andrew’s Hall and its partner, Vancouver School of Theology, and Knox College—addressed the Assembly, bringing powerful impact stories that spoke of vocation, calling and being part of a new cohort of Presbyterian leaders going out into the world. While the colleges share a common mission to train and equip ministers and lay leaders, they also face common challenges, such as working under the constraints of declining funding amid rising operational costs. It was also a moment to recognize and appreciate the work of the Rev. Dr. Roland de Vries, who is stepping down as principal of Presbyterian College, for diligent fulfilment of his responsibilities, his collaborative leadership, his commitment to the flourishing of the college, his care for students and by his rock solid faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.