 Committee recommends 2003 budget approval; attempt to trade curriculum for missionaries fails By Parker T. Williamson The Layman Online Wednesday, June 19, 2002
Sharing center stage in the committee's four-hour discussion were concerns over the proposed deletion of 34 missionary positions and the appropriation of more than $750,000 to develop a curriculum for which there appears to be scant support. Putting missions first Keynoted by former general assembly Moderator Marj Carpenter and internationally renowned missiologist Harold Kurtz, commissioners argued strongly for restoring the missionary positions at a cost of approximately $1 million. Several commissioners suggested dumping the proposed curriculum project in order to fund the restoration. The denomination's most recently published curriculum cost millions of mission dollars and went belly up after less than 10 percent of the congregations purchased it. Wayne Meredith, a commissioner from the Presbytery of the Peaks, said, "The main focus of this assembly centers around mission. Executive Director John Detterick reminded us that mission is the heart of the church's work. Our new moderator has issued a renewed call for mission. If we don't do something about restoring these cuts, mission will be set back, and the church at large will not understand." Concerns over curriculum Deborah Hartman, a Youth Advisory Delegate from Monmouth Presbytery, said, "We should look again at this proposed curriculum." Hartman said she has taught church school classes for four years and has not been pleased by materials published by the denomination. "I think this money can be spent differently rather than putting it in books that aren't used," she said. Jillene Simms, a commissioner from San Diego, said, "The denomination's last curriculum lost a lot of money." Simms said that, from her perspective as a former store manager, she couldn't understand how a product that attracts a small market and whose publishers admit will fail to break even would be included in a mission budget that already is hurting for money. 'Cash cow' dries up Sandra Moak Sorem, publisher of Congregational Ministries Publishing, replied, "Curriculum publishing used to be the cash cow that paid for everything else. But the situation is different now. All religious publishers are losing money. There are not enough people in the Presbyterian Church (USA) to make a curriculum self-sustaining." John Camp, a commissioner from Sierra Blanca Presbytery, responded, "There wouldn't be any discussion here about moving money from mission to curriculum if we were confident about what you will produce. There is no confidence out there in our churches." Lynn Shirley, a retiring member of the denomination's Congregational Resources Committee, defended the project. "Curriculum has always been the energy consumer," he said. "It has never been self-sufficient. It cannot survive if it has to make its own way." Shirley said he wants Presbyterians to use quality curriculum resources and that, as a pastor, he would not be comfortable purchasing his curriculum from a Christian bookstore. Little support voiced for the curriculum Enthusiasm for the proposed curriculum enterprise appeared to be limited primarily to the staff and committee personnel who proposed it. A revealing moment occurred on the opening night of the general assembly when the three candidates for moderator were asked what curriculum they use in their ministries. Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel said he uses the Bible in small group settings. Rev. Laird Stuart told commissioners that his church uses an independently published curriculum called "Kerygma." Rev. Jerry Tankersley said his church uses a "Discipleship" curriculum that is published by the United Methodist Church. None of the moderatorial candidates made any reference to resources published by the Presbyterian Church (USA). Committee decision Despite its reservations regarding the proposed curriculum and repeated lamentations it has heard over proposed reductions in missionary personnel, the Mission and Budgets Committee was unwilling to substitute one line item for another. Staff resource persons impressed upon committee members the complexity that is involved in building a budget, and they encouraged commissioners not to "micro-manage." On a split vote (28-17-2), the committee decided to recommend that the General Assembly approve the 2003 budget as proposed, adding a comment that will request congregations to contribute to a restricted fund outside the budget that might be used to restore the missionary positions. The General Assembly will consider the budget during its Saturday morning session. A floor fight over the proposed reductions of missionary personnel is expected. |
||
Respond to this article |
||
| 2002
General Assembly news index Home · News · PLC Publications · The Presbyterian Layman Online Reviews · Archives · History of the Lay Committee · Feedback · Links |
||