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06673 December 18, 2006
GAC, COGA vote to create joint Department of Vocation
Ecclesiastical, programmatic work combined in 'one call' office
by Jerry L. Van Marter
LOUISVILLE * The reorganization of the national structure of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) took another major step forward today (Dec. 18) with the creation of a provisionally-titled Joint Department of Vocation, which General Assembly Council (GAC) and Office of the General Assembly (OGA) officials say will create a "one call" center to support church professionals and the churches, governing bodies and agencies who employ them.
The new department will combine the ecclesiastical support of ministers and other church leaders, which is the responsibility of OGA, with the programmatic functions administered by the GAC. It will have about 15 staff, two-thirds of whom are currently lodged in the GAC.
The new department's functions will include the PC(USA)'s call system and Presbyterian Leadership Search Effort (PLSE); certification of Christian educators; guidance and training for Committees on Preparation for Ministry and Committees on Ministry; guidance for congregational and middle governing body personnel committees; ordination examinations; Commissioned Lay Pastors; the Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel; and the exchange of ministers under the Formula of Agreement between the PC(USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ;
"As we've looked at the restructure of the GAC we've been looking for overlap and synergies," said GAC Executive Director Linda Valentine, "and this is an obvious place to consolidate some overlap and take advantage of natural synergies."
General Assembly Stated Clerk Clifton Kirkpatrick agreed. "This is a very positive step we're taking together," he said. "Vocations and leadership is a core ecclesiastical issue for [OGA] and a primary programmatic concern for the GAC. Particularly as we look ahead to a more flexible Form of Government [http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2006/06551.htm] we're going to need a closer connection between the polity and program sides. We'll achieve both economy and effectiveness by putting it all in one arena."
General Assembly Moderator Joan S. Gray called the new department "almost a no-brainer." Added Barbara Campbell-Davis, a COGA member and executive presbyter for New Hope Presbytery: "This will be much more convenient than how things are done now."
The GAC executive committee and the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly both voted unanimously to approve "the concept" of the new joint office with final detailed approval scheduled for the March 2007 joint GAC-COGA meeting here.
Valentine announced that the Rev. Marcia C. Myers, currently the GAC's associate director for leadership and vocations, will be tapped to head the new department.
"I've seen her at work," Valentine said of Myers. "She has a depth of knowledge and good ideas about how to make this new department even more effective." Kirkpatrick called Myers "one of the most respected vocational administrators in the church."
The advantages of the new joint department, according to a "concept paper," include
creation of one place where middle governing body and other leaders can go for consistent guidance and information;
coordinated training and resourcing of presbytery leaders, making for better service with less duplication;
consolidated credentialing for church professionals in one office;
creation of a better data base to track ministers, Christian educators, calls and changes in leadership;
and a closer connection between the vocations department and the middle governing bodies office, which is also a joint OGA-GAC operation.
"We are creating a more organic community here that gathers all those who provide service to church leaders and to those who call and develop them," Kirkpatrick said.
Valentine said creation of the new department is "revenue neutral," with budget lines and staff moved from existing offices into the new joint department.
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