GAC Task Force Unveils Process for Prioritizing Budgets By Bill Lancaster Presbyterian News Service Wednesday, October 7, 1998 LOUISVILLE - The Toward 2000 and Beyond Task Force, whose job is to design a process for determining General Assembly mission budget priorities beginning in the year 2000 - when a funding crisis is expected - handed a list of nine functions, 42 objectives and 153 tasks to the General Assembly Council (GAC) at its meeting here September 26. The tasks and objectives are now to be prioritized through a series of consultations, then presented to the 211th General Assembly (1999) for final determination of direction, followed by the development of work plans and budget allocations. Developing the prioritization process is crucial because Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) financial officials predict a severe financial crunch in 2001, when a General Assembly-mandated "spend down" of some $50 million in accumulated restricted funds will be completed. Four steps remain in the process before next summer's General Assembly: 1. a careful review of this work by each of the three ministry divisions and Mission Support Services by the February GAC meeting 2. multiple consultative steps with middle governing bodies 3. consultation with synod representatives 4. approval by the Council at its February meeting. The Rev. John B. Evans, chair of the task force, told GAC members to "dive into this and improve it" as they review it in their separate division committee meetings between now and February. He said the synod representatives will be consulted at a January 8-10 meeting. "The hoped-for outcome is that these synod representatives will say to us, 'These ten objectives we deem most important of all from our perspective. These [next] 15 are objectives we think are important. There's some of this stuff you ought not to even be doing.'" Evans said, "We think that what we will get out of that is some sense of where they want us to go. We believe that process will bring an element of trust into the budget building, so that people will say, 'This is our mission.' We believe that this will be a step along the way to clarifying roles for GAC, roles for synods, roles appropriate for presbyteries, and that will lead us in a good way." The Council had seen the nine functions before, but the 42 objectives and 153 tasks were new. Evans said the objectives and tasks are to be prioritized, but not the functions. "Once General Assembly says, 'This is where we want you to go, do these objectives,' then work plans and budgets would be put to it." Priorities an ongoing problem The task force began with suggestions of over 300 tasks before narrowing the list down to the 153. Guiding principles are put forward in the report to help in making the priority decisions. Placing priorities on the work of the GAC and cutting out programs has been an ongoing problem. The task force's written report says, "While Shape and Form [restructuring] began this process in 1993 by simplifying the General Assembly mission structure, the goal of prioritizing programs and budgets has not been realized. There has been a tendency to hold on to programs without review or time limits. "This process starts with the question 'What mission of Jesus Christ should we be about?'" Evans said, "rather than 'How much money is available or what structure is in place.'" Under the purpose statement, the report says, "Such budgets will prioritize the work of the entire General Assembly mission program, not simply prioritize and cut the current programs." The hoped-for outcome of this strategic planning process is, according to the report, a General Assembly Council Mission Budget that: "is true to our calling in Jesus Christ" "is born of a serious evaluation and review of all that we do" "embodies priority determination" "is affirmed by the General Assembly as that which reflects General Assembly priorities and directions" "is built with such consultative steps that an overwhelming majority of sessions, governing bodies and persons in the PC(USA) will say, 'This is the mission I wish to get behind and support. I've had my input. It is the mission that serves the spiritual welfare of this church and our calling in Jesus Christ.'" The task force's report now goes to the staff leadership team (the GAC executive director, the three ministry division directors and the director of Mission Support Services), who will guide the Council in the follow-up steps. The nine functions and the 42 objectives under them: Administration function 1. Provide leadership and support for mission activities. 2. Provide for the well-being of staff. 3. Provide for meeting the General Assembly's legal needs. 4. Create a hospitable environment for staff, elected persons and others. 5. Maintain denominational property. 6. Coordinate administrative functions with other church entities. 7. Provide for the church's financial needs. 8. Evaluate Communication function 1. Provide accurate, faithful and consistent information about the PC(USA)and its mission activities. 2. Exchange information. 3. Provide technologies and media appropriate to the communication habits and needs of Presbyterians and others outside the church. Education function 1. Support the PC(USA)'s historical commitment to education of all people. 2. Provide resources and services. 3. Coordinate education efforts and make them comprehensive. 4. Provide learning and sharing experiences. 5. Develop leaders for church and society at home and abroad. Marketing function 1. Promote and interpret the mission and policies of the PC(USA). 2. Interpret mission activities so that mission funding will increase. 3. Encourage the support of mission throughout the church. Mission function 1. Develop and manage programs that reflect General Assembly mission concerns and are national or global in scope and inclusive in application. 2. Work for peace and justice in the world. 3. Encourage Presbyterians to reach beyond their local spheres to minister to people who lack access to the gospel or experience danger, disaster, illness, hunger, poverty, injustice, ignorance or isolation. 4. Help the PC(USA) live out its commitment to diversity and inclusiveness. 5. Witness to the power of the gospel to transform. 6. Demonstrate the love of God for everyone with compassion and humility. Partnership function 1. Strengthen relationships and partnerships within the PC(USA). 2. Affirm and support outreach programs of other governing bodies and ecumenical partners. 3. Establish, maintain and strengthen ecumenical relationships that witness to and enrich our faith and promote peace and community at all levels of the church. 4. Strengthen partner churches and ecumenical agencies to expand their unity, witness and mission endeavors. 5. Establish, maintain and strengthen interfaith relationships that witness to and enrich our faith and promote peace and community at all levels of the church. 6. Coordinate the efforts of ministry divisions with other church agencies, governing bodies, covenant groups and partner churches in proclaiming the good news. 7. Resource "Book of Order"-mandated committees. 8. Develop, maintain and distribute personnel data bases for church professionals. Planning function 1. Develop a long-range plan for GAC activities. 2. Develop a procedure for carrying out the consultative process required by the "Book of Order." 3. Develop and implement a long-range (three-year) budgeting process. 4. Develop means of being accountable to the church at large. Proclamation function 1. Give clear and informed voice to the gospel message. 2. Challenge and encourage the whole church in its biblical, theological and spiritual understanding. 3. Model Christ in meetings, deliberations and decisions. Stewardship and social witness function 1. Demonstrate God's love for humanity by our commitment to people and God's creation through programs of stewardship and justice. 2. Affirm and support the work of governing bodies and church partners. |
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