Just about done

Moving Forward Implementation Commission has one last call remaining before submitting its report

by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service

Members of the Moving Forward Implementation Commission, shown here meeting at the Presbyterian Center last year, are nearing the end  of the work assigned them by the 223rd General Assembly in 2018. (Photo by Mike Ferguson)

LOUISVILLE — Racing to meet Friday’s deadline, members of the Moving Forward Implementation Commission on Thursday approved individually the eight recommendations it plans to make to the 224^th General Assembly, meeting in Baltimore June 20-27.

Commissioners said they plan to approve the entire document in its final form during a videoconference call late Friday afternoon.

For the time being, here are some of the recommendations as they stood on Thursday:

• That Mission Engagement & Support should be moved from the Presbyterian Mission Agency to the Administrative Services Group. If that’s approved, the Moving Forward Implementation Commission anticipates that funds development, interpretation and education about per capita and the Presbyterian Historical Society will be included in MES’ scope of work.
• That the Property/Legal Committee of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board be eliminated. Gone from this recommendation are previously discussed recommendations to remove the title of “president” from the president and executive director of the PMA and to change the name of the PMA Board to the Committee on the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
• That all unrestricted bequests over $50,000 received by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation be allocated to both the PMA and the Office of the General Assembly according to the current cost allocation ratio. That ratio is currently 80 percent to PMA and 20 percent to OGA.
• Creation of a coordination table among the OGA, the PMA and the A Corp/Administrative Services Group. Among the table’s tasks: responding to GA mandates and actions, monitoring ongoing and emerging mission and ministry, and developing and assessing a unified budget.
• That the upcoming assembly continue the work of the Diverse Voices Table and of extending equity and inclusion audits by doing two things: directing agency heads to continue to appoint two members each to the table so that “important work of inclusion and equity is not relegated to one office or group,” and direct the table to be the organizing body for consultants to conduct equity and inclusion assessments every six years.