wfn.org | Report from February 18 General Assembly Council Meeting

[PCUSA NEWS <pcusa.news@ecunet.org>]

18-February-2000 
00080 
 
    Report from February 18 General Assembly Council Meeting 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A policy statement on how Presbyterians "do mission" was 
approved by the General Assembly Council here today - paving the way for a 
study process that will gather information from the denomination's mission 
networks to begin in June. 
 
    "We want to develop consensus as a mission agency ... which we believe 
the whole denomination is," said the Rev. Marian McClure, director of the 
Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD), which is currently partnered with over 
164 churches around the world.  "We know people are feeling called to do 
global mission with us, and, sometimes, on their own. 
 
    "But we'd love to have shared values about how we approach that." 
 
    The process of beginning to articulate those values began over two 
years ago in WMD and has now been refined into a one-page policy statement 
that, according to McClure, will be refined still further after it gets 
into the hands of churches who are engaged in mission work. 
 
    If approved by the 212th General Assembly, the policy statement will be 
mailed to churches in the denomination's mission network as part of a 
packet that includes a bible study and other theological materials. 
 
    The statement reads: 
 
    The PC(USA) seeks to engage the church in faithful and vital global 
mission. 
 
    As Christians, we understand "Mission" to be God's work - centered in 
the gospel of Jesus Christ, and made real through the active and leading 
power of the Holy Spirit - for the world God loves.  The "where" and "how" 
and "with whom" of mission is God's initiative, sovereign action and 
redeeming grace. 
 
    As Presbyterians, we do mission in partnership.  With the maturing of 
the church and nations around the world, we have in recent decades sought 
to be more intentional in our mission through "partnership."  We understand 
Partnership in Mission to be that disciplined approach that assumes the 
goals can best be approached by joining hands with those who share a common 
vision.  Partnership in mission involves two or more organizations who 
agree to submit themselves to a common task or goal - mutually receiving 
and giving and surrounded by prayer so that God's work can be more 
faithfully accomplished.  Theologically and biblically, partnership is 
based upon the fundamental belief that God's desire for the world is 
greater than any one church can possibly comprehend or envision.  God's 
purpose for us in mission is fulfilled as different and differing 
communities - Christian, secular and other faith communities - find common 
ground and are brought together in mutual submission and commitment to 
serve the people and world God created. (Philippians 2: 5-11) 
 
    In mission, there must be an awareness that partnership demands all 
partners seek: 
 
    * to answer God's call in mission, not to serve our own needs by "doing 
good;" 
 
    * opportunities for initiatives in mission by any partner, not 
one-sided efforts; 
 
    * mutual respect, not paternalism; 
 
    * to be independent (self-propagating, self-supporting, self-governing) 
church partners with a mission vision, not dependent churches focused on 
survival; 
 
    * interdependent partnerships that are of benefit to all partners, not 
one-sided dependent relationships; 
 
    * mutuality, not one-way mission; 
 
    * opportunities and recognition for "the least of these," not 
exploitation to the benefit of the more powerful; 
 
    * a growing web of partnerships, not exclusive sets or private domain; 
 
    * to move to action together in ecumenical partnership, not simply to 
establish an "ecumenical relationship;" 
 
    * to meet the holistic needs of churches and people(s), not serve 
narrow agendas; 
 
    * open dialogue, prophetic challenge and mediation of differences, not 
coercive or manipulative imposition of solutions; 
 
    * to honor the integrity of the church context, structures and social 
dynamics, not to subsidize another's central church life no exert undue 
pressure to change or conform; and 
 
    * we seek the day when Christ's church in all its diversity may show 
its unity for the sake of the gospel, not promoting or being content with 
division. 

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