Mission leader expects $11.3-million shortfall By John H. Adams The Layman Volume 35, Number 2 Posted April 8, 2002 The budget crunch in the Presbyterian Church (USA) threatens to force the recall of Presbyterian missionaries, Marian McClure, director of the Worldwide Ministries Division, says in some internal letters and other documents obtained by The Layman. Letter to partners In a letter to mission partners, she said current projections indicate a shortfall of $11.3 million for the 2003-2005 budget years. “This shortfall will decrease the church’s ability to send mission workers, and to support important ministries in evangelism, education, health, development, and others with partners around the world,” she added. “There will be some staff cuts within Worldwide Ministries. It will also be more difficult to consider new mission personnel positions and even replacement personnel.” Many Presbyterian congregations and presbyteries sponsor missionaries who are not under the direction of the Worldwide Ministries Division. John Detterick, the executive director of the General Assembly Council, has proposed a fundraising campaign called “The Mission Initiative” to try to raise $40 million for world missions and national evangel-ism/new church development, with emphasis on new racial/ethnic congregations. Those two areas were targeted for an infusion of funds because historically Presbyterians have generously supported them. The Catch-22 for some Presbyterians is that fundraising for missions and evangelism would ease the pressure to cut budgets of less popular and often controversial programs. No transfers proposed Neither Detterick nor others have proposed transferring money to missions and new church development from programs such as the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the Washington Office, peacemaking and the National Presbyterian College Women’s Network. It is those programs that have often generated a backlash by Presbyterians and declining support for the denomination’s ministries, just as the 1993 ReImagining Conference cost the PCUSA millions of dollars. McClure also expressed concern about the long-range future of the World Ministries Division. “Detailed planning from National Ministries and Worldwide Ministries have identified a need for approximately $200 million over a ten-year period of time in order to adequately strengthen their ministries,” McClure said in her internal memo. “Phase One [‘The Mission Initiative’] would be a first step toward meeting these needs.”

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