Way Forward Commission to release midterm report

Group identifies major themes, prepares to invite further input

by Gregg Brekke | Presbyterian News Service

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include the approved text of the Way Forward Commission’s midterm report.

LOUISVILLE – The Way Forward Commission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is set to release its midterm report today, saying it has started “to dream of the 21st century church we see emerging.” Under the direction of the General Assembly and the Stated Clerk, the group says it is taking a “bolder course” rather than “tinkering with existing structures” in an effort to sustain the organization.

In a conference call yesterday — prior to reviewing the midterm report — the Commission received updates from its moderator and vice-moderators and heard working group reports from the GA Committee, GA Moderators, Stated Clerks and Mid Council Conversations.

Commission members also approved the formation of a joint working group of the Way Forward Commission and All Agency Review Committee to discuss the scope of investigation into best practices for denominational administrative and support services, before turning their attention to minor revisions of the midterm report.

Saying, “Our primary mission as church is to transform the world for the good in the name of Jesus Christ” — in reference to a theme developed from a statement made by the Rev. Jan Edmiston, Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly, at the May meeting of the Way Forward Commission — the report outlined seven areas of change the Commission believes need “re-visioning” so an “adaptive and effective structural change” can be proposed for the six agencies that comprise the PC(USA).

These areas include:

• Congregational Focus
• Mission Priority
• Diversity and Leadership
• Mid Council Relationships
• Functioning as “Church”
• Re-conceptualized Administrative Support
• Effective Communication

The Commission affirmed a congregational focus as a top priority for the denomination, saying, “[W]e believe all six agencies of the denomination are presently considering innovative ways to collaborate both with each other and with mid councils to provide local churches with adequate, contextual support that is nimble and responsive.”

Saying, “The Presbyterian Mission Agency especially, has been saddled for far too long with corporate responsibilities that create barriers for gifted staff and hinder their full focus on mission and coordination with congregations, mid councils, and global ecumenical partners,” the mission priority area suggested that effective models of mission engagement, and not corporate and administrative functions, should be its core purpose.

“We need to prepare leaders for the church we will be, and consider innovative ways of providing leadership development events, programs, and training,” the report said of a renewed focus on diversity and leadership. Adding that it wanted to “encourage and support alternative pastoral leadership patterns best suited to the church we are becoming,” the Commission suggested it was central to the purposes of the church to incorporate “the full diversity represented in our culture” in any leadership development efforts.

Owing to the changing nature of presbytery and synod structure and staffing, the report emphasized the importance of mid councils and how they function in the Presbyterian Church, especially in assisting congregations, saying, “The national church must find additional tangible ways to partner with presbyteries and synods in support of congregations.”

Addressing the role of the “Church,” the Commission said it is examining a “potential role” for the Stated Clerk as it seeks “to strengthen this function while still maintaining our reformed polity of ‘shared power … exercised jointly.’” Saying it “perceive[s] a lack of clarity” of both voice and public witness from the denomination, the Commission will examine the role of the Stated Clerk, other agency executives and the General Assembly Moderator(s) to provide clarity and authority from within the PC(USA).

In looking at re-conceptualized administrative support, the Commission raised several questions, including: What administrative services can and should be centralized across all agencies; what is the most efficient and effective way of delivering corporate and administrative services; should some functions be outsourced; and how can we make these services accountable to the end-user?

Calling back to the “mission focus” area, the Commission reaffirmed “that there can and should be better ways to deliver corporate and administrative services” for the six agencies of the PC(USA).

Saying they have found “a lack of cohesion in branding, voice and consistency among the myriad of communication channels throughout the denomination,” Commission members pointed to the various agency websites as a symptom of a lack of communication coordination. Although it offered no structural model for its implementation, the Commission expressed a desire for “clear, user-friendly and varied platforms, including everything from print to social media, to communicate the work the PC(USA) is doing locally and around the world.”

The final section of the report proposed seeking further feedback from the broader church, suggesting four areas in which ideas could be offered:

• What rings true for you in the themes we’ve identified?
• What is missing in these themes?
• We’ve presented the themes in one order, attempting some prioritization; what changes would you make? What theme or themes should take priority?
• If you could give the commission one piece of advice as we continue our work, what would it be?

Additional feedback can submitted to the Commission until July 15 at this link.

Commission moderator the Rev. Mark Hostetter said this feedback will be considered during the Commission’s next meeting, a conference call Aug. 9, to form “more concrete” structural and organizational recommendations.

The Way Forward Commission’s next face-to-face meeting is Sept. 17-19 at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.