GAMC ponders strategies for 2012 General Assembly
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman, September 28, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On the final day of the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) meeting, the council discussed strategic issues it would like to bring before the 2012 General Assembly (GA).
Following a lengthy discussion, there was some consensus on focusing on the broad themes and thrust of:
- 1,001 new worshiping communities – an outward focus
- Young adults — engage young adults in life of PCUSA
- Existing congregations – how to make them more vital
In a discussion held a day earlier, GAMC member Steve Aeschbacher spoke to the council about the PCUSA, the GA and the GAMC.
For some, the PCUSA is the people, the congregation or maybe the national body. “In the eyes of many, the PCUSA is the General Assembly,” he said. “There’s a big disconnect about what we know goes on.”
He called the GA an “essentially reactive” body. “The General Assembly does not set its own agenda. All it can do is vote on the things that are presented to it,” he said.
“Who is thinking about what is the best thing for the PCUSA?,” he asked. “Where is that leadership for the GA and therefore for the church? … I like to suggest the GAMC is the de facto place where that leadership resides and we can exercise it if we want to. It is up to us to decide what we want to do.”
“We have the expertise to provide positive Christ-centered leadership to the GA and through it, to the church,” Aeschbacher said. “My hope is that we could think about that a little bit.”
Brainstorming strategies
In introducing the strategizing session the next day, GAMC Chairman Mike Kruse said that “one important way we play a role is bringing business to the assembly instead of being reactive.” So the question to the council was “What it is we might bring to the assembly?”
Kruse said the GAMC staff would develop specific proposals based on the themes and bring them to the Feburary GAMC meeting for approval.
“One idea that is already gaining traction is 1,001 new worshiping communities,” said Kruse. “It’s an idea that is sparking imaginations.”
Suggestions from council members included:
- Something around 1,001 new communities in faith. “That is critical to the health of the denomination in terms of reaching out,” said a council member. “It has to happen across lots of levels of the church to be successful.” Another council member said that it needs to include tools and resources for immigrant fellowships and need to be more innovative and increasingly flexible in terms of credentials for leadership.
- Function rather than structure. “A lot of our energy has been on the internal structure of the church or council – downsizing, nFOG, budget, etc. It’s time now that we look for a function rather than structure. … It’s not just the size of the church, or the growing of the church, but who are we as witnesses … somehow we would put into this new initiative something that has this kind of substance.”
- A church focused on young adult volunteers. Moving the volunteer program beyond what it is now, along the theme “a year of service for a lifetime of change.”
- Stepping out and doing the work rather than talking about methods of leadership
- Engaging young adults in existing communities of faith
- A more active role in facilitating local, short-term mission activity
· Taking an active political position against the tax changes that seek to reduce deductions for charitable giving
- Building bridges between generations. A council member said there was a lot of talk about the average age of Presbyterians being 61. “They’re not dead yet,” she said. “These are Presbyterians who are faithful in our pews.” She spoke of finding transformative and engaging ways to connect Presbyterians of all generations. Following up on that comment, it was suggested that encouraging mentorships and also some kind of grandparents program would strengthen church families.
· Recommitment to social justice. One thing to do is to engage in the types of things young adults care about. A council member asked, ”Where is the church I grew up in? Our church made no statement about Troy Davis’ execution this week. If we’re not actually engaged in the kinds of things young adults care about, then seeking to ‘get’ them to ‘save’ us will fail. We need to reclaim our voice in the public square.” Another council member said, “As we see our country seem to pull back its support for health care, education, so many things, in our political government, our church needs to be very proactive in speaking out in concern for our sisters and brothers.”
- Call for a “Sabbath week.” “We spend a lot of time running from pillar to post in our everyday activities. Instead of going about your normal routine … engage in prayer, reflection, discernment and renewal … a church wide time.”
Following the strategizing session, one observer of the meeting made the comment that “No one suggested reaching the lost for Jesus Christ, evangelizing or the great ends of the Church.