Executive committee discusses ways to promote mission, funding
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman Online, September 28, 2006
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The General Assembly Council’s executive committee Tuesday discussed ways to promote mission involvement and funding commitments for the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Marian McClure, director of the Worldwide Ministries Division, presented four ideas from the PCUSA’s staff leadership team:
1. A national mission conference. “A ya’ll come,” she said. “There are a lot of ways you can do it.” The event would showcase the mission and ministry of the PCUSA and build community supporters on a church-wide basis. “It would provide experiential answers to the question of how the denomination bears witness to God’s love in Jesus Christ,” she said. Approximate cost: Minimum of $100,000, up to possible $500,000.
2. Regional appreciation rallies. McClure said the GAC could “partner with middle governing bodies to say thank you to our strongest supporters” in the area and equip them. The events would feature multi-media presentations and possibly workshops designed to encourage interest in mission and ministry. It also could provide participants with resources, tools and networking opportunities to motivate more interest and involvement and funding from within their congregations and presbyteries. Approximate cost: Could be about $200 per participant.
3. Mission Web domain idea. She called the idea an “electronic space where a lot of the excitement” about mission can be a two-way communication. The web site would “clearly” refer to mission and encourage ownership of PCUSA mission by enlisting people’s interest, energy and resources for the good of mission. It would include stories of challenges and successes and provide opportunities to interact with people on the field. The approximate cost has yet to be determined.
4. Annual promotional kick-off. This would be a promotion that would be tailored to the congregation’s rhythms and structures. It would give promotional attention to areas of PCUSA mission and ministry that are not supported by the special offerings. The promotion would include bulletin inserts, liturgical material, artwork and posters, minutes for mission, visuals and script, and a brief catalogue of resources in a leader’s leaflet. Approximate cost: $155,000 if the cost of promoting the Christmas Joy Offering were used as a benchmark.
McClure said the staff leadership developed the ideas following the executive committee’s recent retreat, where there was a “very rich discussion of the state of the denomination and communications needs.”
At the retreat, the executive committee expressed a desire to sponsor one or more events in 2007 that would “help build the sense of ownership and excitement PCUSA leaders and members have about Presbyterian mission and ministry and about what they accomplish in concert with the denomination.”
McClure stressed that there was no plan of action yet for any of the ideas. She presented them to “test out the ideas and see what is more pertinent to you.”
Following some discussion, the executive committee decided to start working with idea four, and work their way backward to three, then two and possibly winding up with a national conference in 2009.