General Assembly Council GAC votes down bid to incorporate PDA By Craig M. Kibler Staff Writer The Layman Online Monday, April 28, 2008 LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The General Assembly Council has voted not to proceed with a proposal to incorporate Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. The council, voting without discussion in a morning plenary session April 25 at the Brown Hotel, agreed with the recommendation of a task force appointed to study the benefits of incorporating PDA. It had provided its report to the GAC earlier in the week. In a morning meeting of the task force April 23, the chairman of the task force, the Rev. Joseph Johnson of Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Dothan, Ala., said, "We are not convinced that the hopes and advantages … will be realized sufficiently by incorporation to warrant the expense and time necessary" to incorporate the agency. Acting on another recommendation, the GAC voted that the task force continue with a new name "to address the following, and perhaps other issues, in response to the GAC's decision not to proceed with incorporation: To address the interpretation and communication issues discovered in the work of the task force. To address human resources concerns relative to quick and efficient hiring of staff and "on the ground" personnel in response to a disaster. To work with those who feel passionately that incorporation is the best way to carry out the ministry of PDA in order to strengthen those relationships and to strengthen PDA's capacity to respond efficiently to disasters, as well as carry out its overall mission After the vote, the task force released in a statement in which it said that it had recommended, "as a result of their research, prayer and deliberation - that the GAC not move forward with the incorporation of PDA. Task force chairperson Rev. Joseph Johnson cited the 'challenges and expenses involved' in presenting the recommendation to the GAC." "The General Assembly Council task force on Incorporation of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance brought a report and recommendation to the GAC meeting in Louisville," the statement said. "The task force realized that potential actions [of the GAC] may include: dissolving the task force as recommended, creating a new committee to move the incorporation process forward, or continuing with more research and deliberation. "The church's mission of disaster response was a central theme of the task force's conversations. Task force member Eileen Lindner noted that disaster assistance allows the church 'to show the love of Jesus Christ to those whose hearts are breaking.' During the meeting, the task force also often spoke of the incredible work PDA, in its current structure, has been able to do. "After the report to the full council, the task force vice chairperson, the Rev. Karl Travis, stated that, 'We have an excellent infrastructure for this ministry already in place through PDA. The belief of the task force is that incorporation will not guarantee an improvement in this ministry,'" the statement said. The report, the statement said, was in response to a recommendation from the Relief and Development Study Team, "formed in 2006 and made at the September 2007 GAC meeting, asking that the GAC appoint a task force to resolve 19 'vital issues before the decision is made to go forward with the creation of the proposed corporation.'" The report listed the primary advantages of incorporation as: Improve donor convenience to give through corporate matching gifts. Broaden the Presbyterian witness (to be listed on charitable Web sites, etc.). Assist international registration. Ability to access government and other organizations' funds. The report listed the primary challenges of incorporation as: Hopes for incorporation may not be realized. Matching corporate funds are uncertain and insubstantial. Increased accounting and administrative expenses likely to overshadow growth in budget. Expense of creating and maintaining the corporation higher than anticipated. International registration is complex and uncertain and may unintentionally strain historic ecumenical partnerships. Government funds come with expensive reporting requirements and cumbersome limitations. The Rev. Allison Seed, chair of the GAC executive committee, said in the statement that, "The task force made a very thorough case for not moving forward with incorporation. We appreciate their work. At the same time, we understand that some in the church may be frustrated with this decision and we will make every attempt to work with them to help them understand, and hopefully support, this decision and the continued good work of PDA." Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications and Executive Editor of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.

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