Mission Coordination Committee, Action
Item 10-09; Approved by Committee by a vote of 51 – 0.
All the Committees
of the General Assembly are scheduled all day today with their lists of
Action Items. Given my position within our Presbytery, I pay close attention to
some of the behind the scenes, administrative work that supports the work of
our Church. I have followed in recent years the careful planning process that
Executive Director of the General Assembly Mission Council, Linda Valentine,
has put in place to guide the work of the Mission Council. This year a new “Mission
Work Plan” was developed and forwarded to the Mission Coordination Committee.
This year Carlisle Teaching Elder Commissioner Steve Gribble is serving on the Mission
Coordination Committee. A number of General Assembly staff people, including
Linda Valentine and Roger Dermody, discussed this plan with the Committee. The
Committee had a careful and thoughtful discussion of it, before voting to
approve it.
Two aspects of this are important in my mind. First,
this intentional planning process is an important example for the Presbytery
and our congregations. We need to do careful planning. This Mission Work Plan
is a good, comprehensive example of strategic thinking. It is a good exercise
to define goals, objectives and our priorities. Second, I appreciate the focus
of this Mission Work plan. I would like to communicate this plan around our
Presbytery, and discuss how we respond to this plan from our General Assembly
Mission Council.
This Mission Work Plan has been approved by the Committee
and will be considered by the whole General Assembly. The plan is copied here,
and may be found at PC – biz as item 10 – 09.
Mission Work Plan 2013
– 2016:
The General Assembly
Mission Council (GAMC) recommends that the 220th General Assembly (2012)
approve the following vision, mission, directional goal statements, and core
values for the 2013–2016 GAMC Mission Work Plan:
Vision: Presbyterians
joyfully engaging in God’s mission for the transformation of the world.
Mission: Inspire,
equip, and connect the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in its many expressions to
serve Christ in the world through new and existing communities of faith, hope,
love, and witness.
Directional Goals:
Transformational
Leaders
Inspire, equip and
connect the church to: Cultivate, nurture,
and sustain diverse, transformational leaders for Christ’s mission.
I chose you and
appointed you so that you could go and produce fruit. John 15:16 (CEB)
Compassionate and
Prophetic Discipleship
Inspire, equip, and
connect the church to: Make, receive and send
disciples who demonstrate and proclaim God’s justice, peace, and love in an
increasingly globalized world.
The Spirit of the Lord
is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me. [God] has sent me to preach good
news to the poor, to proclaim release to the prisoners and recovery of the
sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the
Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18–19 (CEB)
New Worshiping
Communities
Inspire, equip, and
connect the church to: Ignite a movement
within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that results in the creation of 1,001
new worshiping communities.
They praised God and
demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone. The Lord added daily to the community
those who were being saved. Acts 2:47 (CEB)
Young Adults
Inspire, equip and
connect the church to: Engage and join with
young adults in reforming the church for Christ’s mission.
I will set up my
covenant with you and your descendants after you in every generation as an
enduring covenant. I will be your God and your descendants’ God after you.
Genesis 17:7 (CEB)
General Assembly
Engagement
Engage with, respond to, resource and represent the General
Assembly in alignment with the vision and mission for the General Assembly
Mission Council.
The apostles and the
elders gathered to consider this matter. Acts 15:6 (CEB)
Organizational
Integrity
Build confidence, trust, and engagement in all that
we do by being Collaborative, Accountable, Responsive, and Excellent
(C.A.R.E.).
If anything is
excellent and if anything is admirable, focus your thoughts on these things.
Philippians 4:8a (CEB)
Core Values of the General Assembly
Mission Council
C.A.R.E. (Collaborative, Accountable, Responsive, Excellent)
Within the GAMC and the wider church, we
will be:
Collaborative. Working together in an inclusive
community, we will invite input, share ideas, and seek the best ways to
accomplish our common goals.
Accountable. Relying on the Holy Spirit to enable us
to trust and to be trustworthy, we will take responsibility for our actions and
work with integrity, transparency, and love.
Responsive. Acting as servant leaders, we will
faithfully respond to the voices and needs of the church by being timely,
helpful, enthusiastic, and mission-centered.
Excellent. Demonstrating faithful stewardship and
service through God’s empowering grace, we will work with energy, intelligence,
imagination, and love.
