GAC recasts goals, objectives to support local mission
[5-25-06]

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by Jerry L. VanMarter, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE -- Stressing its determination do "a new thing" by de-emphasizing programmatic work at the national level of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in order to better support mission and ministry by congregations and presbyteries, the General Assembly Council in February adopted a 2007-2008 Mission Work Plan.

Budgets and staff realignments were then determined in April, with $9.15 million and 75 staff positions trimmed from the General Assembly mission program. The Mission Work Plan and 2007-2008 mission budgets must be approved by the upcoming 217th General Assembly in Birmingham, AL, June 15-22.

"This Mission Work Plan completely changes the way the General Assembly Council does its work," said GAC Executive Director John Detterick. "It moves us away from looking at our mission administratively and toward looking at our mission directionally -- from the minutiae to the big picture."

GAC member John Bolt of Charleston, WV, who worked on the plan, says two themes characterize the new plan: an emphasis on partnership and strengthening congregations.

The plan represents a return to Presbyterian tradition, he adds: "Presbyterian mission is centered in justice and evangelism-- done in partnership with other denominations, other cultures and other faiths" and "much of the mission work of the PC(USA) rightly occurs in and through congregations."

The Mission Work Plan includes four goal areas -- Evangelism and Witness, Justice and Compassion, Spirituality and Discipleship, and Leadership and Vocation-- with two objectives for each goal area.

The objectives:

Evangelism: Equip Presbyterians, governing bodies and others to witness locally and globally to the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially to people with no religious affiliation (evangelism and witness);

Multiculturalism: Support presbyteries' efforts to develop congregations and fellowships that reflect the multicultural makeup of society (evangelism and witness)

Poverty: Create partnerships with governing bodies and others to address the causes and effects of poverty (justice and compassion)

Peace: Encourage presbyteries and congregations to seek non-violent solutions to conflict in their communities and around the world (justice and compassion)

Reformed identity: Encourage and support presbyteries and congregations in developing members' appreciation and understanding of their Reformed identity (spirituality and discipleship) Families: Enable presbyteries and congregations to ground families in Christian discipleship that helps them confront and resist the idolatries of society (spirituality and discipleship)

Christian vocation: Equip presbyteries and congregations to help members discern that their vocations are calls from God to Christian witness in society and in the church (leadership and vocation)

Small churches: Facilitate the development and exchange of alternative models for pastoral and mission leadership in small churches (leadership and vocation)

For the first time, the $67.6 million of the $97.3 General Assembly mission budget dedicated to programmatic work is displayed by objective rather than by programmatic line item: evangelism, $16.7 million; multiculturalism, $2.6 million; poverty, $22.8 million; peace, $3.2 million; Reformed identity, $9.4 million; families, $938,000; Christian vocation, $11.5 million; and small churches, $559,000.

The remainder of the budget is committed to support services, administrative expenses, building and capital costs at the Presbyterian Center here, insurance and health and pension benefits for national staff.

Matters related to the Mission Work Plan and mission budgets will be considered by Assembly Committee 8 – Mission Coordination and Budgets.

The full report -- 19 pages long -- is available in PDF format