NNPCW criticized; funding increase urged By Paula R. Kincaid The Presbyterian Layman Monday, March 29, 1999 LOUISVILLE – Despite finding that National Network of Presbyterian College Women resources “clearly violated the policies of the PC(USA), [and were] inconsistent with the church’s confessional standards,” and that the Network’s mission statement failed “to even mention Jesus Christ, or to explicitly state that having a saving relationship with Jesus is important,” the task force to review the NNPCW has recommended that the Network continue with staff and a budget almost twice its current size. The task force presented its report to the General Assembly Council Feb. 13 in Louisville. Since the task force was mandated by the 210th General Assembly, the GAC could not make changes to the report, but it did vote to “commend the efforts of past and present leadership of NNPCW who have provided a viable ministry to college women” (emphasis added). The task force report recommends the GA “commend the efforts of the current leadership of the NNPCW to provide a viable ministry to college women in spite of the lack of denominational funding and support” (emphasis added). The NNPCW currently receives $50,000 a year from GAC mission budget. Affirming past leadership GAC member Emily Wigger proposed the comment, saying “It seems appropriate to me to affirm the whole of the NNPCW – all of the young women, past and present, and the staff who have been associated with the Network, and I want to personally compliment them for the grace, dignity, integrity, commitment to this Presbyterian church, and their commitment to the living Christ in the face of many attacks and abuse.” Jeff Bridgeman, a task force member, opposed the comment, saying “there were some problems in leadership in issues of accountability.” Bridgeman noted the task force was impressed with the leadership it met and wanted to “affirm the current leadership.” Neal D. Presa, a young adult representative to the GAC, express-ed his opposition to the proposed comment, saying “the task force spent two and half pages of their report saying that there’s no mention of the gospel of Christ.” The comment passed on a voice vote. The Task Force report The introduction of the report read in part, “Some of the material in Young Women Speak was found to be very well done and helpful for the discussion of the issues. … Other materials generated for this resource clearly violated the policies of the PCUSA, being inconsistent with the church’s confessional standards, lacking in Biblical and theological foundation, and failing to provide balanced, accurate resources for study or further discussion. This is most evident in the sections that have caused most of the criticism of this resource, ‘Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Life’ and ‘Sexuality and Spirituality.’” Concerning the pornographic links found on the NNPCW website, Task Force Chair Lynda Ardan said “the task force believes the links to pornography were unintentional and unwanted.” Ardan said that much of the responsibility for the criticism of the NNPCW seems to be rooted in a lack of sufficient oversight and review of its activities by the General Assembly Council, National Ministries Division and Women’s Ministries Program area. Proposed comments to the report Following the conclusion of the task force report, Presa moved to send two comments on the report to the General Assembly. The first, “In the selection and hiring of the National Network of Presbyterian College Women (NNPCW) staff associate, the General Assembly Council (GAC) recommends that such be done in consultation with one representative each from the Justice, Partnership and Evangelism sub-committees of National Ministries Division (NMD).” The second comment was that “the GAC calls upon the NNPCW to constitute a Coordinating Team composed of individuals who are active members of a PCUSA congregation, with the exception of the ecumenical representative on the Coordinating Team.” “What concerns me is the findings of the task force,” said Presa. He highlighted the lack of accountability and the theology of the Network. “The concerns of the task force take up two and half pages of the report while the positives take up one half a page,” he said. “The gospel of Christ must be spoken with boldness and with clarity,” said Presa. We must not develop a “mentality of gospel laryngitis, or Biblical laryngitis, or theological laryngitis … In this case the Network was found to be acting in variance with the constitutional, theological and biblical standards of this church, yet the task force is recommending that they be given permanent status and funding and staffing.” Presa said the proposed comments address the accountability problems and the theological implications of the Network. The comments were voted on separately, both failing on voice votes. NNPCW budget to be doubled The report includes budget recommendations of $96,500 per year. Salary, benefits and travel for a staff associate total $50,500. Resource development totals $14,300 and family/vocations curriculum totals $6,700. The budget estimates on resource development and curriculum were developed in consultation with Curriculum Publishing Program Area staff. The budget allows $2,000 for two annual eight-page newsletters and another $2,000 for four student leaders to attend the annual review by National Ministries Division representatives. The budget also includes $10,000 for an annual leadership event; $8,000 for coordinating committee meetings and $3,000 for leadership development and networking for students. From the beginning At the 210th GA in Charlotte, NC, NNPCW representatives, dissatisfied with its $50,000 share of the General Assembly Council mission budget, took a request for $273,000 over three years directly to the GA. That request opened the door for critics to showcase the group’s activities, leading to a decision not only to deny the request for additional funds, but to cut off all mission dollars to the organization. Commissioners voted 306-217 to deny sponsorship and funding for NNPCW, inviting the network to continue as an independent organization or to become an accountable component of the denomination’s campus ministries. But a late-night demonstration resulted in a new decision to give NNPCW a one-year extension, without any change in its current level of funding. The Assembly also instructed the General Assembly Council to appoint a seven-member committee to evaluate NNPCW’s resources, publications and program and report back to the 1999 GA.

The Presbyterian Layman March/April 1999

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