Saturday, Dec. 24, 2005 Posted: 9:40:16AM EST
Mission-minded Presbyterians gathered in Arlington, Texas in mid December to discuss new ways to set up denominational systems for funding mission. Facing an accelerated decrease in mission-giving by Presbyterian Church U.S.A. members, the Mission Funding Task Force sought out new ways to fundraise and struggled with essential questions relating to the identity of the denomination’s mission.
Some suggestions made by the 150 leaders included the creation of a separate division for mission funding and interpretation. This new division would also coordinate regional mission initiatives but would be overseen by the denomination’s General Assembly Council.
One major benefit of this separate division is that it would consolidate fund-raising, promotion and interpretation within one body, thereby promoting mission outreach.
The group also asked questions on how to define mission in today’s changing church. Some members urged the denomination to move away from the same-old processes of fund-raising and instead look to new emerging ways of dealing with the crises.
The Rev. Graham Hart, general presbyter of the Peace River Presbytery in North Port, Florida also posed serious problems regarding the current speed of the Mission Task Force. He said if the Task Force takes four or five years to figure out its identity and direction, some presbyteries will be out of business, according to the Presbyterian News Service.
Therefore, to speed up the process, Harts suggested that stewardship best practices be gathered from synods, presbyteries and congregations, and then create future conversations where mission-minded leaders could share with one another about the models that work or do not work.
The Mission Funding Task Force meeting was held from Dec. 13-15.
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