PCUSA mission workers will have to raise own funds
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, October 19, 2005
Marian McClure, director of the Worldwide Mission Division of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has informed mission workers that future missionaries will have to raise their own support because of the agency’s financial problems.
And, she added, they’ll have to raise it by getting their supporters to route their contributions through Joining Hearts and Hands, the denomination’s $40-million fundraising campaign that was authorized by the 213th General assembly in 2001.
That was the same General Assembly that voted to cut 30 foreign missionary assignments – 10 percent of the total – from the Worldwide Mission Division budget.
In four years, according to its second-quarter financial statement at the end of June, the fund campaign has raised $1.2 million in cash, including $581,608 that is designated for world missions – the equivalent of about one year’s salary for 10 missionaries, or three missionaries for three years.
When the General Assembly approved the campaign, the advocates said it should not be viewed as a means of replacing mission assignments that were taken out of the budget, but of enlarging the denomination’s missionary staff.
In a letter to mission workers dated Oct. 12, McClure said, “The financial crunch has affected WMD by limiting the funds from the core Mission Budget, both unrestricted and restricted, that we can utilize in the budget years 2007/08.”
Because of the lack of funds, she added, the Worldwide Ministries Division leadership team “has decided to route all new funding for new positions via MIJHH [Mission Initiative/Joining Hearts and Hands]. This simply means that new mission personnel entering the system (whether coworkers or Long Term Volunteers) will raise their supplementary funds in cooperation with MIJHH staff if they and their positions qualify under the administrative agreement we have with the campaign. In that case, their supporters will send funds in such a way that the MIJHH campaign will credit their gifts. We are developing processes for candidates to work in conjunction with the coordinator for Funds Development in WMD, Wes Wilkinson, who is our liaison with the MIJHH campaign.”
McClure also called on mission workers who receive directed mission giving from local congregations “to give them an encouraging communication … this form of giving helps the GAC [General Assembly Council] meet its budget commitments and so helps us face the financial strains.”
McClure’s call on mission workers to raise funds through Joining Hearts & Hands could bolster the fundraising campaign, which has produced far more in pledges than it has deposited in the bank.
The June financial statement – September’s had not been posted as of today – reported cash receipts and outstanding pledges of $16,052,735. But only 7.4 percent – $1.2 million – is in cash. The bulk of the pledges have been made by presbyteries for new church development.
When established, the fundraising campaign set goals of $20 million for new church development and $20 million for worldwide missions. The money raised by presbyteries, if and when they fulfill their pledges, goes entirely for their projects with no fundraising costs.
Thus, the fundraising costs for the campaign, which is no longer subsidized by the General Assembly Council, would come primarily from the money raised through contributions for mission workers.
Through June, the fundraising campaign had accumulated expenses of $2.4 million – double its cash receipts.
The following is the text of McClure’s letter, which was sent to The Layman Online by a mission worker. A number of McClure’s colleagues also signed the letter.
- October 12, 2005
Dear PC (USA) Mission Worker:
The Worldwide Ministries Staff Leadership Team would like to share with all of you how the financial situation of the General Assembly Council will affect the deployment of new mission personnel (please refer to the Presbyterian News Service article pasted below).
The financial crunch has affected WMD by limiting the funds from the core Mission Budget, both unrestricted and restricted, that we can utilize in the budget years 2007/08. An important component of that crunch is the reduced flow from permanent funds due to the performance of the economy in the past few years.
The immediate implication is that we are unable to appoint new mission personnel from that core budget since appointing new people now will mean a commitment for at least three years (the length of a typical initial appointment) to support those folks. Our budget is already that tight because of good news: PCUSA mission workers are in high demand and in wonderful supply, thanks be to God, and we have been able to commit all the funds we have available!
This inability to make new appointments from budget is not the whole story, however. We are blessed to have some other sources of funds that may help us continue to field new people. As you know the denomination has embarked in a campaign to raise $40 million both for new church development and mission personnel. The Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts and Hands (MIJHH) is now in its third year. The success of this campaign is paramount to the efforts in WMD to answer the needs of our partner churches and organizations throughout the world for mission personnel.
Therefore your leadership team has decided to route all new funding for new positions via MIJHH. This simply means that new mission personnel entering the system (whether coworkers or Long Term Volunteers) will raise their supplementary funds in cooperation with MIJHH staff if they and their positions qualify under the administrative agreement we have with the campaign. In that case, their supporters will send funds in such a way that the MIJHH campaign will credit their gifts. We are developing processes for candidates to work in conjunction with the coordinator for Funds Development in WMD, Wes Wilkinson, who is our liaison with the MIJHH campaign.
Also, we will continue to field Young Adult Volunteers and other short-term volunteers since these are “budget neutral” patterns of service. Moreover we will also continue to work with the Validated Mission Support Groups as per the existing policies and procedures.
What can you do? Your prayers are coveted, of course. If there are congregations that pledge support for you through Directed Mission Giving and you have an opportunity to give them an encouraging communication, please consider doing so; this form of giving helps the GAC meet its budget commitments and so helps us face the financial strains. Also, those of you doing Interpretation Assignment are encouraged to continue to share your story and those of our partner churches as always. Our congregations and presbyteries appreciate your commitment to God’s Mission through the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Worldwide Ministries Division.
We thank all of you for your support and prayers. As always, if you have any questions do not hesitate to direct them to me or any other member of the WMD Leadership Team. There are aspects of the budgeting situation that will continue to evolve and so periodically we will write again with updates. Grace and peace!
Sincerely,
Marian McClure, Director
Will Browne, Associate Director, Ecumenical Partnerships
Gary Cook, Associate Director, Global Service and Witness
Tony Aja, Associate Director, People in Mutual Mission
Bill Simmons, Coordinator for Finance and Administration
Wes Wilkinson, Coordinator for Funds Development
Teresa Chrappa, Executive Assistant to the Director