Editing Presbyterian Church (USA) (section)

=====Elected officials=====
{{Main|List of moderators of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)}}

[[File:Ft Wash Hts Presb Wadsworth Av 174 jeh.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Fort Washington Presbyterian Church]]]]
[[File:First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh, New York.JPG|thumb|upright|[[First Presbyterian Church (Plattsburgh, New York)]]]]

The General Assembly elects a [[Moderator of the General Assembly|moderator]] at each assembly who moderates the rest of the sessions of that assembly meeting and continues to serve until the next assembly convenes (two years later) to elect a new moderator or co-moderator. Currently, the denomination is served by Co-Moderators Cecelia Armstrong and Anthony Larson, who were elected at the 226th General Assembly (2024). They followed Ruth Santana-Grace and Shavon Starling-Louis, elected in 2022. They followed Elona Street-Stewart and Gregory Bentley, elected in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|title=224th General Assembly (2020)|url=https://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/224th-general-assembly-2020/|access-date=August 5, 2021|website=PC(USA) Office of the General Assembly|archive-date=August 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805171252/https://oga.pcusa.org/section/ga/224th-general-assembly-2020/|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the 223rd Assembly in St Louis, MO, Co-Moderators Vilmarie Cintrón-Olivieri and Cindy Kohmann were elected. See a [[List of Moderators of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA)|complete listing of past moderators]] at another Wikipedia Article.

A [[Stated Clerk]] of the General Assembly is elected to one or more four-year terms and is responsible for the Office of the General Assembly which conducts the ecclesiastical work of the church. The Office of the General Assembly carries out most of the ecumenical functions and all of the constitutional functions at the Assembly. The Stated Clerks since reunion are: [[James Andrews (clergyman)|James E. Andrews]] (1984–1996), [[Clifton Kirkpatrick]] (1996–2008), [[Gradye Parsons]] (2008–2016), J. Herbert Nelson (2016–2023), Bronwen Boswell (2023–2024) (interim), and Jihyun Oh (2024–).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.pcusa.org/blog/2016/05/decently-not-always-good-order-historical-overview-choosing-pcusa-stated-clerk|title=Decently But Not Always in Good Order: An Historical Overview of Choosing the PC(USA) Stated Clerk|date=May 13, 2016|website=history.pcusa.org|access-date=April 26, 2023|archive-date=April 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426222314/https://www.history.pcusa.org/blog/2016/05/decently-not-always-good-order-historical-overview-choosing-pcusa-stated-clerk|url-status=live}}</ref>

Bronwen Boswell was appointed Acting Stated Clerk in June 2023 to serve the remaining year of Nelson's term. She was ineligible to apply for the stated clerk position in 2024, and has limited responsibilities focused primarily on completing plans for the 2024 GA and [[restructuring|unification]] of the OGA and PMA.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pres-outlook.org/2023/06/stated-clerk-ends-historic-term-in-historic-fashion/|title=Stated clerk ends historic term in historic fashion|date=June 30, 2023|work=The Presbyterian Outlook |access-date=October 16, 2023|archive-date=October 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016060244/https://pres-outlook.org/2023/06/stated-clerk-ends-historic-term-in-historic-fashion/|url-status=live}}</ref> Her partial characterization of the [[Attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania|attempted assassination of Donald Trump]] as "two lives lost at a Pennsylvania rally" blurs the distinction between perpetrator and victim, unlike definitions of [[mass shooting]]s that often do not include the shooter in the [[body count]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/7/15/acting-stated-clerk-condemns-violence-at-trump-ral/|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Acting Stated Clerk condemns violence at Trump rally|date=July 15, 2024|website=pcusa.org|access-date=July 18, 2024|archive-date=July 16, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716234232/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/7/15/acting-stated-clerk-condemns-violence-at-trump-ral/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=July 2024}} Bronwen's political perspective on the shooting has been contrasted with purely nonpolitical perspectives from other denominations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://juicyecumenism.com/2024/07/17/church-prayers-trump/|title=Church Officials' Prayers Follow Trump Shooting|first=Quinn|last=Novick|date=July 17, 2024|website=Juicy Ecumenism}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalmethodist.org/a-family-and-a-global-methodist-local-church-lose-a-faithful-member-in-assassination-attempt/|title=A Family and a Global Methodist Local Church Lose a Faithful Member in Assassination Attempt - Making Disciples of Jesus |date=July 16, 2024 |publisher=The Global Methodist Church|access-date=July 18, 2024|archive-date=July 16, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716200408/https://globalmethodist.org/a-family-and-a-global-methodist-local-church-lose-a-faithful-member-in-assassination-attempt/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Jihyun Oh was installed in July 2024 as the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/7/1/the-rev-jihyun-oh-is-elected-then-installed-as-sta/ | title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - the Rev. Jihyun Oh is elected, then installed, as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) | date=July 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/4/26/rev-jihyun-oh-nominee-stated-clerk-general-assembl/|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – The Rev. Jihyun Oh is the nominee to be the next Stated Clerk of the General Assembly|date=April 26, 2024|website=pcusa.org|access-date=April 26, 2024|archive-date=April 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426160433/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/4/26/rev-jihyun-oh-nominee-stated-clerk-general-assembl/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/1/22/stated-clerk-of-the-general-assembly-candidate-int/|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – Stated Clerk of the General Assembly candidate interviews|date=January 22, 2024|website=pcusa.org|access-date=January 22, 2024|archive-date=January 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122225805/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/1/22/stated-clerk-of-the-general-assembly-candidate-int/|url-status=live}}</ref> and promoted by the Unification Commission (UC) in October 2024 to lead the interim unified agency.<ref name=Jihyun/> The UC is overseeing unification of OGA and PMA, currently planned for summer of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/the-pcusas-unification-commission-takes-in-reports-including-efforts-to-join-communications-ministries/|title=The PC(USA)'s Unification Commission takes in reports, including efforts to join communications ministries|date=January 19, 2024|website=Presbyterian Mission Agency|access-date=January 22, 2024|archive-date=January 22, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122225806/https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/the-pcusas-unification-commission-takes-in-reports-including-efforts-to-join-communications-ministries/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) had oversight over the Stated Clerk and OGA, but COGA and PMAB were dissolved on December 31, 2024, with UC taking over their responsibilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/8/16/unification-commission-votes-to-sunset-governing-b/ |title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Unification Commission votes to sunset governing boards for PMA and OGA on Dec. 31 | date=August 16, 2024 }}</ref> A new Unification Management Office is planned to manage the [[Post-merger integration|integration]] of PMA and OGA.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/unification-commission-votes-to-establish-a-unification-management-office/ | title=Unification Commission votes to establish a Unification Management Office | date=August 9, 2024 }}</ref> In March 2024, the former OGA Communications Director was named PCUSA Communications Director<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/3/7/rick-jones-named-director-pcusa-unifying-comm-min/|title=Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – Rick Jones named director of the PC(USA)'s unifying communications ministries|date=March 7, 2024|website=pcusa.org|access-date=April 25, 2024|archive-date=April 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240425174335/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2024/3/7/rick-jones-named-director-pcusa-unifying-comm-min/|url-status=live}}</ref> and the former PMA Communications Director was named PMA Vision Integration & Constituent Service Manager.

Nelson is the first African American to be elected to the office, and is a third-generation Presbyterian pastor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2016/6/25/world-church-leaders-hail-j-herbert-nelsons-electi/|title=World church leaders hail J. Herbert Nelson's election as Stated Clerk of the PC(USA)|date=June 25, 2016|website=Pcusa.org|access-date=October 21, 2016|archive-date=October 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011201027/http://www.pcusa.org/news/2016/6/25/world-church-leaders-hail-j-herbert-nelsons-electi/|url-status=live}}</ref> Nelson announced he would not seek re-election to a third term,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2023/4/20/j-herbert-nelson-will-not-seek-a-third-term-as-sta/|title=J. Herbert Nelson will not seek a third term as Stated Clerk|date=April 20, 2023|website=Pcusa.org|access-date=April 20, 2023|archive-date=April 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420173222/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2023/4/20/j-herbert-nelson-will-not-seek-a-third-term-as-sta/|url-status=live}}</ref> and stepped down as Stated Clerk in June 2023, a year before his second term ended.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcusa.org/news/2023/4/25/j-herbert-nelson-to-step-down-as-stated-clerk-of-t/|title=J. Herbert Nelson to step down as Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA)|date=April 25, 2023|website=Pcusa.org|access-date=April 25, 2023|archive-date=April 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427015556/https://www.pcusa.org/news/2023/4/25/j-herbert-nelson-to-step-down-as-stated-clerk-of-t/|url-status=live}}</ref> Reported tensions that likely influenced the decision to resign include struggling efforts since 2016 to unify the OGA and PMA agencies, and struggling efforts to return to normal following the pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pres-outlook.org/2022/09/remagining-change-in-the-pcusa-and-the-world-we-get-to-do-this/|title=Reimagining change in the PC(USA) and the world: We get to do this|date=March 14, 2023|work=The Presbyterian Outlook |access-date=April 25, 2023|archive-date=April 26, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426033318/https://pres-outlook.org/2022/09/remagining-change-in-the-pcusa-and-the-world-we-get-to-do-this/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Stated Clerk is also responsible for the records of the denomination, a function formalized in 1925 when the General Assembly created the "Department of Historical Research and Conservation" as part of the Office of the General Assembly. The current "Department of History" is also known as the [[Presbyterian Historical Society]].<ref name="ga1925">"Minutes of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A." Philadelphia, Pa.: Office of the General Assembly, 1925.</ref>