On the fifth and final day of the 2026 General Assembly, the Young Adult Representatives (YARs) led the day’s reporting, sharing their wisdom and their passion for justice, inclusion and belonging. Reflecting on their earlier call for the church to take a proactive approach to artificial intelligence, the YARs said their recommendation grew out of hours of conversation, learning from others’ experiences, unity, trust and friendship in Christ. They said they were encouraged by the lively discussions, by knowing their voices were heard, and by the fact that, as young people, they were not so much the future of the church as full members of it. They encouraged commissioners to continue to consult their young people, take their ideas seriously and walk beside them as partners in ministry. They expressed gratitude for the lively discussion and the support they received throughout the Assembly.
This morning’s worship was led by Jonathan Cho, Josh Kim and the Praise Team from St. Timothy Presbyterian Church (Toronto, ON); liturgist the Rev. Matthew Ruttan of Westminster Presbyterian Church (Barrie, ON); and the Rev. Joe Bae of Vaughan Community Church (Vaughan, ON). It was a fitting close, as VCC led both the opening worship and the final morning worship. Joe preached on Acts 6:1-7. He included space for commissioners to discuss their time at General Assembly, what they are grateful for and what they sensed the Holy Spirit doing. Responses included worship, standing votes and the YARs. “There is a lot to be grateful for. We’ve been reflecting on the Holy Spirit as we move through the book of Acts – the Spirit moving the church further and further out into the world. And here we are still, bearing witness. We are a hopeful people. Because God sends the Holy Spirit to work with us, and to help the church recognize the incredible gifts that are present amongst us.” Joe said, adding that “The call to partnership is out there for all of us, in the ministry and partnerships we have. The question is, who can we bring along?”
General Assembly concluded with traditional courtesies and loyal addresses, which included acknowledging the presence of God’s spirit at work, the First Peoples who have stewarded the land for generations, and the privilege of meeting on this sacred part of Turtle Island. Gratitude was expressed for the hospitality of Eastern Han-Ca Presbytery and Vaughan Community Presbyterian Church for hosting the opening service. Others recognized included the Moderator, the Rev. Lara K. Scholey, the YARs, student representatives, Assembly staff, special guests, technical staff and more. The loyal addresses included greetings to His Majesty, King Charles III, King of Canada; Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada; the Right Honourable Louise Arbour, incoming Governor General of Canada; the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada; the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; the Chiefs, Elders and knowledge keepers of the Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee Nations; and Her Worship, Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. The full Courtesies and Loyal Addresses can be read on the General Assembly page under Reports, #33.