wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] PC(USA) quits as publisher of Bible Quest

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8926 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

05507
Sept. 23, 2005

PC(USA) quits as Bible Quest publisher 

Official says lagging sales made continued production 'much too risky'

by Toya Richards Hill

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Congregational Ministries Division Committee (CMDC) of
the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted Thursday to concur with a staff
recommendation that the denomination no longer publish the Bible Quest
curriculum in its next cycle, which starts in 2008.
	
	Bible Quest sales have continued to decline year by year, and "we
really feel it's much too risky to continue publishing," said Publisher
Sandra Moak of the Congregational Ministries Publishing and Christian
Education program area. 

	Bible Quest was published in 2000 through a partnership involving the
PC(USA) and eight other denominations. Each partner agreed to fulfill certain
publishing and administrative tasks. 

	After the first year, troubled finances and overestimates of market
potential began to weigh on the curriculum. Congregational Ministries
Publishing agreed in 2001 to become publisher through the second cycle, which
ends in summer 2007. 
	
	Moak said Bible Quest is a good curriculum, but "the PC(USA) is not
in a position to take the potential risk involved for the third cycle."
	
	The PC(USA)'s partners are United Methodist Publishing House,
Christian Board of Publishing, Church of the Brethren General Board (The
Brethren Press), the Moravian Church, Chalice Press (United Church of Christ
in the United States), United Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church in
Canada and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
	
	Moak said the United Methodist Church is considering taking over as
publisher, but hasn't made a decision.

	Also on the agenda of the CMDC - which gathered as part of the Sept.
21-24 General Assembly Council meeting here - was news of a realignment of
the Congregational Ministries Division (CMD).

	CMD Director Don Campbell outlined the details to the CMDC, including
the creation of a new office and the re-naming of another.

	This "realignment has been in the process for a number of months," he
said.

	The changes, which took effect on Sept. 1, were made because of
reduced resources and budget reductions and in order to incorporate the goals
of the 2005-06 Mission Work Plan, Campbell said.

	One of the key changes was the creation of the Office of
Congregational Leadership, which includes African-American and Asian-American
associates for congregational leadership. The new office is in the Theology
and Worship program area of CMD.

	The positions in the office are not new, but have been moved from
other CMD areas affected by downsizing because of budget cuts. Additional
responsibilities will be assigned to the employees in these positions,
including a new focus on the roles of deacons and elders in congregations.

	The Congregational Ministries Publishing program area has been
re-named Congregational Ministries Publishing and Christian Education. 

	"Christian Education, an historic part of PC(USA) identity, is not
mentioned by name anywhere in the 2005-2006 Mission Work Plan," Campbell said
in his report to the committee. "The words, 'Christian Education,' which
describes a significant part of Congregational Ministries' work, were in
danger of being dropped.

	"The renaming of the curriculum publishing area to be side-by-side
with Christian education is deemed to be essential. If the national church
does not name it, the local congregation will not be able to find it. We are
reclaiming and lifting up Christian Education as the significant part of the
Congregational Ministries Division it has been."

	The newly named program area also includes youth and young adult
ministry positions, and an administrator to coordinator events. Youth and
Young Adult Ministries had been part of the Office of the Director, as had
the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, which is now a separate program area.

	"The move of the Youth Office and Young Adult Office places them in
the program area whose primary focus is spirituality and discipleship,"
Campbell said in his report. "After years of separation in the organizational
structure, these staff persons are now partnered with youth/young adult staff
in resource development and publishing. A common strategic plan will unify
their work and strengthen the ministry with these two age groups of our
membership."

	Campbell also told the committee that three "tables" have been
created to coordinate and unify the work of CMD - a publisher's table, an
events table and a multicultural resources table.

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