Today marks the first day of business at the 2026 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, which meets in Assembly Buildings in central Belfast.
News
GA26: Day One Preview – Tuesday, 9 June 2026
As PCI’s principal decision-making body, the annual meeting, which this year lasts three and a half days, brings together active ministers and an elder from each of PCI’s 500-plus congregations from across Ireland. Retired ministers, including past Moderators, and under 30 representatives - men and women from Aghadowey to Arklow, Cork to Coleraine, and many more places in between, will be in attendance until the close of Assembly on Friday afternoon.
Together, they will debate and make decisions prayerfully that can often shape the Church’s ministry and future. With times of worship and teaching, it is also a time when the Church often gives voice collectively to the concerns of many people within and outside of the Church.
The extended timetable for this year’s Assembly aims to create more space for worship, prayer and fellowship, as well as allowing each Council and Commission the opportunity to speak to their written reports. This year, Councils have been asked to prepare and present reports which are more intentionally focused on God and how he is at work through the ministry they offer.
Where to find information on the General Assembly
On this page you will find a breakdown of the business before the General Assembly and an outline of the responsibilities of each of the General Assembly’s Councils and some of the detail contained in their report and resolutions.
Attending and watching the General Assembly
You can attend the General Assembly using the public gallery. If you are unable to attend you can watch the General Assembly livestream here via the General Assembly Hub on this website, You will also find full details of the Assembly, including the business to be discussed, along with news stories and the Blue Book.
The Blue Book
The Blue Book contains the reports and resolutions that will be discussed during the General Assembly. This link will take you to it directly. Additional reports that will be published in the Supplementary Report, which will be available here on Tuesday morning.
You can also follow proceedings and comments on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, by using the hashtag #PCIGA26.
Opening of the General Assembly - 10am
This morning the Moderator, Right Reverend Dr Richard Murray of Drumreagh Presbyterian Church in the village of Bendooragh, near Ballymoney in County Antrim, will open and constitute the Assembly in prayer during a service of worship. He will then address members, before chairing business for the rest of the day. This may actually constitute some kind of record, as this will be the fourth time that Dr Murray would have done so as Moderator, and the fifth time he would have moderated an Assembly.
Across its 8 sessions, members will debate the reports from the General Assembly’s 12 councils and commissions and their respective task groups, committees and panels and associated resolutions this week. Councils will report in a slightly amended manner this year, with an emphasis on what God has done and the response of prayer. While it is a time for debating reports and getting through the business, it will also be a time of coming together before God, and there will be a number of scheduled times for reflective worship, and teaching.
Worship is an integral part of the General Assembly. Today, the opening session will be a service of worship, led by the Moderator. There will also be a period of reflective worship that will take place at 5pm. Today's business will close at 9pm.
Day One: Tuesday’s business
The following reports will come before the General Assembly today:
- General Assembly Business Committee
- Reports of Presbyteries
- Council for Social Witness
- General Council (Section 1)
- General Council (Section 2)
- Council for Mission in Ireland
- Council for Training in Ministry.
You can find today's business with times here.
A summary of the responsibilities of each Council and a brief description of some of the business before the General Assembly in each session can be found below.
The Assembly will close around 9pm
Getting to the General Assembly
While there are a number of car parks in the vicinity of Assembly Buildings, bus and rail services operate from the Belfast Grand Central terminus, a short walk from Assembly Buildings and Laganside Bus Station on Marlborough Street, which is a little further away. For timetables see www.translink.co.uk