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Note #8689 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05171
March 31, 2005

Size, structure of GAC under review

3 proposals all aim to strengthen links to presbyteries, synods

by Jerry L. Van Marter 

LOUISVILLE - A task force of the General Assembly Council (GAC) on Thursday
introduced three alternative models for the size and structure of the
Council, which manages the General Assembly mission program between General
Assemblies.
 
	The three models - proposed by a Governance Task Force created by the
GAC last year as part of its "strategic visioning process" - emerged from the
task force's assignment to "evaluate, develop and propose a structure of the
GAC that will strengthen connectedness with presbyteries and synods."
 
	The council now has 72 elected members, who serve on four primary
committees corresponding to the main programmatic units of the GAC -
Congregational Ministries, National Ministries, Worldwide Ministries and
Mission Support Services. 

	One of the proposed models would leave the Council unchanged.

	The second would reduce membership to 50 and simplify the structure
by creating three primary divisions: national mission; international mission;
and administration, development and support.
  
	The third model would expand the council to 100 members and organize
its oversight work around the four Mission Work Plan priority areas -
Evangelism and Witness, Justice and Compassion, Spirituality and
Discipleship, Leadership and Vocation - and a 27-member "Council of
Committees" to coordinate.
 
	"We ran a lot of flags up the flagpole," said Carol Adcock, the task
force chair. "This is a peek at where we've been on this work in progress." 

	Between April and August, the denomination's Research Services office
will conduct focus groups around the church to gather feedback on the three
options. Stephen Benz, a member of the governance task force, said it will
bring a final draft proposal to the GAC during its February 2006 meeting. 
 
	All three models would give PC(USA) presbyteries a greater role in
designating representatives to the council, although the nomination process
would continue to be managed by the General Assembly Nominating Committee.
 
	The current 72-member council includes 50 representatives from
presbyteries and 16 from synods. Under the new models, 45 members of a
50-strong council would come from the presbyteries; a 100-member GAC would
include 86 or 87 members chosen by presbyteries. 

	In recent years, the GAC has been engaged in a "strategic visioning
process," which led to the 2005-2006 Mission Work Plan - a comprehensive
statement of the Council's priorities, goals and objectives. 

	John Detterick, executive director of the GAC, said, "The GAC
understands more and more the essential connectedness we must share with the
governing bodies to be most effective in the larger mission of the PC(USA)."
	 
Two other task forces are looking at issues of mission funding and program
review and evaluation.

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