wfn.org | Congregational Ministries Division Approves Covenant

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30-September-1996 
 
 
96393     Congregational Ministries Division Approves Covenant 
                  Agreement With Presbyterian Mariners 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--The Congregational Ministries Division (CMD) Committee 
approved a new covenant with the Presbyterian Mariners here Sept. 27, an 
agreement reached in light of the General Assembly's authorization to 
eliminate the Office of Family and Single Adult Ministries, which provided 
national staff support to the Mariners organization. 
 
     Elimination of the Family and Single Adult Ministries position is 
effective Jan. 1, 1997. According to CMD officials, the executive board of 
Presbyterian Mariners will review the covenant agreement further and act on 
it during their national board meeting in January. 
 
     Billed as the denomination's only family-focused ministry 
organization, the almost 70-year-old Presbyterian Mariners enriches married 
couples and their families through a variety of programs at the 
congregational, regional and national levels. In more recent years, it has 
also reached out to include increasing numbers of single persons in its 
ministries. 
 
     The covenant includes creation of a planning team through the 
Christian Education Program Area that would meet several times a year to 
address family ministry issues and plan responses to them.  Under the 
proposal, the Mariners would use $20,000 they have designated to help 
support the family ministries office to help fund their costs of 
participating in the meetings. 
 
     "We have been in conversation with the Mariners and we do not want our 
relationship to be severed," said the Rev. Ed Craxton, CMD associate for 
Christian education. "We do want to maintain our covenant relationship with 
the Mariners." 
 
     Under the terms of the agreement, Presbyterian Mariners would assume 
several obligations, including 
 
     *    advocating for strong and effective ministry with families 
          throughout the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 
     *    developing and publishing, in partnership with the CMD, resources 
          on current issues and needs related to families 
     *    working with the CMD to expand membership in Presbyterian 
          Mariners. 
 
     Likewise, the CMD assumes several obligations under the agreement, 
including 
 
     *    designing and leading workshops at national and regional 
          conferences of Presbyterian Mariners when circumstances permit 
     *    coordinating with Presbyterian Mariners concerning family 
          ministry exhibits at the annual meetings of the General Assembly 
          and other national conferences 
     *    cooperating with the office of the Presbyterian Mariners national 
          executive secretary in responding to inquires and requests for 
          information about the Mariners from middle governing bodies and 
          congregational leaders. 

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