Presbyterian Mission Agency Board meets Wednesday through Friday in Louisville
by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service
Meditation Space at Stony Point Center. (Photo provided)
LOUISVILLE — The invitation to become Matthew 25 churches and mid councils and a discussion on the future of Stony Point Center near New York City highlight the meeting of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board Wednesday through Friday.
Wednesday’s plenary begins with opening worship at 1:30 p.m. at the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville. Wednesday’s business concludes with dinner meetings of three groups of administrative committees: Personnel and Nominating, Property/Legal and Resource Allocation and Stewardship.
Thursday’s meetings take place in the Presbyterian Center. Opening worship is at 9:30 a.m. in the chapel followed at 10 a.m. by a community conversation on poverty. Program committees — the Mid-Council Committee, the Committee to Nurture the Body and the Committee for Outreach to the World — meet at 1 p.m., with the board scheduled to reconvene in plenary at 3:45 p.m. to include conversations with representatives of the A Corp board, which is set to meet Thursday through Friday.
Friday’s opening worship is set for 8:30 a.m. at the Brown Hotel. During the morning, the board is scheduled to take action on administrative and program committees, with adjournment scheduled before noon.
As part of her Matthew 25 invitation, the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, the PMA’s president and executive director, includes an 11-page list of resources that Matthew 25 churches and mid-councils can use as they work to build congregational vitality, dismantle structural racism and eradicate systemic poverty.
“There are already PC(USA) congregations that identify themselves as Matthew 25 churches,” states the website, which is still under construction in advance of the official Monday roll-out of the Matthew 25 invitation. “We aim to help multiply this loving commitment to radical and fearless discipleship by partnering with mid councils and congregations to help them embrace one or more of (the) three focuses.”
The goal of the national church “is to be a clearinghouse of resources, training materials, devotional and preaching aids, success stories, curricula and more — everything to help you strengthen relationships, transform your church and bring alive your commitment to ‘serve the least of these’ in your community and around the world.”
As part of accepting the invitation, congregations and mid councils will be asked to “proclaim their successes” by writing a brief story of impact and submitting it through the website. The 250-word stories can highlight how the congregation or community has been impacted by the work, how the church or mid council has found a new purpose in ministry or how members’ faith as disciples has been energized.
“Sharing our stories also gives clarity to our ministry and strengthens our commitment to continue this important work,” the website states. “We invite you to tell us how embracing Matthew 25 is impacting your congregation, even if your progress is still in its early stages. The journey is just as important as the end results, and we want to rejoice with you and share the good news.”
The Stony Point presentation Wednesday afternoon asks the board for two things: Extend the timeline for the study the board directed regarding Stony Point, from March until the board’s September meeting, and approve the hiring of the consultant Run River Enterprises to assist in the process.
A Stony Point Roundtable has been meeting to develop a list of steps needed to ensure Stony Point’s economic viability and “prioritize it within the overall ministries of the PMA,” according to a report to the board.
Following the Roundtable discussions, Moffett developed a vision by which Stony Point Center would “transition from its current form of ministry of ‘radical hospitality’ to a ministry that would offer programs and mission experiences while continuing its ‘radical hospitality,’” the report states.
Should the board approve hiring Run River Enterprises, the consultant’s report will be ready by the next board meeting and will include, among other items, marketing, a plan for site and facility improvements and an implementation plan for the new vision. The consultant “will also meet with a broad range of leaders within the church,” the report states.
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