wfn.org | Designs 'Interactive' Organization

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3170 notes).

Note 3167 by UMNS on Sept. 12, 1996 at 16:33 Eastern (3584 characters).

SEARCH: United Methodist, General Council on Ministries,
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CONTACT: Thomas S. McAnally                      453(10-71B){3167}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470            Sept. 12, 1996

GCOM Executive Committee designs
framework for 'interactive' organization

     DAYTON, Ohio (UMNS) -- During their last meeting of the 1993-
96 quadrennium here Sept. 6-7, General Council on Ministries
executive committee members developed the initial framework of an
"interactive organizational design" for the council's work during
the next four years.
     The proposals will be passed along to the new council for
consideration at its organizational meeting here Oct. 23-27.  They
include ministry teams that will deal with vision, leadership and
mission resources; a conciliar forum that will attempt to bring
consensus on diverse initiatives and develop priorities for their
fulfillment; and collaboration processes that will relate to
churchwide agencies, annual conferences and other constituencies
across the church.
     The new council will have 76 members, compared with 127 in
the present quadrennium.
     As members looked at new ways for the council to do its work,
they expressed hope that the agency could provide an interactive
model that other church groups could use.
     The General Conference adopted GCOM recommendations calling
for greater flexibility in the organizational life of the church
at all levels and a move toward an interactive organizational
design.  Established by the General Conference to lead that effort
is a 38-member Connectional Process Team that will organize in
Chicago Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
     The executive committee also adopted "memos of understanding"
regarding the administration and staffing of two emphases approved
by the 1996 General Conference: Shared Mission Focus on Young
People and Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century.
     The 19-member Shared Mission Focus Team is expected to
organize before the end of the year.  It will select its own
leadership, design its organizational structure and report its
work to the GCOM on a regular basis.  A full-time staff person
will be hired and supervised by GCOM to coordinate the initiative. 
GCOM will handle the accounting and distribution of all funds
received for the initiative.  Location of the office has not been
determined.  General Conference allocated $3 million to support
the project for the quadrennium.
     The organizational meeting for the 19-member Coordinating
Committee for the Black Church effort will be held in Houston Oct.
9-10.  The committee will determine budgets and provide fiscal
oversight but will be accountable to GCOM for administration.  A
full-time staff coordinator will be hired.  Location of the office
has not been determined.  General Conference allocated $1.3
million for the effort during the new quadrennium.
     The executive committee received an update on the search
process for a new associate general secretary who will be elected
at the council's organizational meeting and learned that a survey
of United Methodist opinion is being conducted on financial
stewardship, the results of which will be published in January.
     Presiding over the meeting here was Bishop William Dew of
Phoenix.  Top staff executive is David Lundquist.
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