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Note #8356 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Mission Coordination and Budgets
GA04064
June 29, 2004

Mission Coordination and Budgets

by Shane Whisler

RICHMOND, June 29 - The Committee on Mission Coordination and Budgets
repeatedly adjusted the thermostat on the "Climate for Change Report" of a
task force from the Advocacy Committee for Racial Ethnic Concerns (ACREC),
and as a result didn't finish Tuesday's business until 7 p.m.

"I remind you that we are here because of the absence of people of color in
the upper management offices (of the denomination)," said the Rev. Curtis
Jones, a task force member who also is executive director of the
denomination's Office of Black Congregational Enhancement.

The committee eventually amended and approved a recommendation that the
Assembly create a position to ensure that PC(USA) policies include
equal-employment opportunity and affirmative-action principles and offer
staff training in "cultural proficiency." Jones said the task force felt that
creating such a staff position would address what the task force's report
called failures of "inclusiveness" and "representation" and "systemic misuse
of privilege and entitlement."

The committee did not approve the task force's suggestion that the term
"racial-ethnic" be replaced in denominational communications with "emerging
majority." A similar item having to do with Native Americans - changing that
designation to "First Nation" - was withdrawn from the report at the request
of two speakers who said Presbyterian Native Americans were not consulted
about the change.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

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