wfn.org | Work Group on Certified Educators Seeks Input

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

9-June-1997 
97222 
 
              Work Group on The Role and Status of  
                 Certified Educators Seeks Input 
 
                         by Julian Shipp 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--With the possible outcome of establishing a fourth 
ordained office in the denomination, the Work Group on the Role and Status 
of Certified Educators in the Life of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is 
seeking churchwide input to a draft of a proposal to be considered by the 
210th General Assembly (1998). 
 
     According to Lynn Jostes of Sarasota, Fla., co-chair, nearly 2,000 
letters will be circulated in the hope of encouraging a broad range of 
Presbyterians to respond. The work group will meet Sept. 27-30 following 
the General Assembly Council (GAC) meeting in San Antonio to study the 
responses and begin drafting final recommendations and/or proposed "Book of 
Order" changes. 
 
      The draft underscores the denomination's historical commitment to 
education and proposes standards for certified church educators. It also 
includes a summary of the role of certified church educators in the church 
and a listing of their educational and ordination requirements. The draft 
responds to the 204th General Assembly (1992), which suggested an expansion 
of the Office of Minister of  the Gospel with three manifestations of  that 
office: minister of the Word and sacrament, minister of pastoral care and 
minister of education. 
 
     According to Jostes, the "Theology and Practice of Ordination" study 
laid an excellent theological foundation, identified core functions of each 
ordained office and proceeded to discuss qualifications and preparations 
for each office (minister, elder, deacon). However, the study's conclusion, 
which called for a minister of education to be prepared for that office in 
exactly the same manner as  the minister of Word and sacrament was "not 
satisfactory," since the focus of an educator's ministry is different from 
the focus of a minister of the Word and sacrament or one of pastoral care. 
 
      "We now wish to circulate this proposal widely across the church, to 
seek broad consideration of its concepts and content and to solicit 
responses about its viability and desirability in the life of our church 
today," Jostes said. "This is very much an idea in process to see how this 
concept sits in the life of the church right now." 
 
       The origin and process of the Ordination Work Group 
 
     In 1992, the 204th General Assembly commended  "A Proposal for 
Considering the Theology and Practice of Ordination in the Presbyterian 
Church (U.S.A.)" to the church for study and response, and directed that 
the "Theology and Worship Ministry Unit gather and analyze all responses 
and report back to the 208th  General Assembly (1996)."  
 
     The Assembly further recommended that "any response to overtures 
related to the theology and practice of ordination be deferred until the 
208th General Assembly (1996), when the study is completed."  With the 
reorganization of the General Assembly offices, the Congregational 
Ministries Division (CMD) was assigned the responsibility of fulfilling the 
directive of the 1992 Assembly to report to the 1996 Assembly and formed an 
"Ordination Work Group" to assist it in the task of analyzing responses to 
the 1992 Assembly's proposal. 
 
     The Ordination Work Group met four times during the 10-month period 
from November 1994 to August 1995 and began by analyzing the responses 
received from the church. Early on in its work, it also heard from national 
staff persons working in related areas and throughout its process and 
continued to seek additional input from the entire denomination. 
 
     In all, 123 responses were received regarding the initial ordination 
proposal of 1992: one from a synod; 14 from study groups within 
presbyteries; 102 from study groups in congregations; and six from 
individuals or other institutional entities. After analyzing the responses, 
the Ordination Work Group identified several areas in the "Proposal for 
Considering the Theology and Practice of Ordination" for further study, 
discussion and consideration. Members of the work group wrote internal 
working papers for a number of proposals as the basis for further 
discussion and decision. Final recommendations within the Ordination Work 
Group were based on a thorough discussion of all proposals and 
recommendations, and the report passed through two drafts before finally 
being submitted to the CMD in September 1995. 
 
     During that CMD meeting, it was voted to "endorse a recommendation to 
the National Ministries Division (NMD) that a task group be appointed to 
study the status of Christian educators in the Presbyterian denomination." 
The September 1995 draft of the Ordination Work Group report also 
recommended the formation of a work group to continue the study of issues 
on the place and role of the Certified Christian Educator in the 
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). 
 
   The Work Group on the Role and Status of Certified Educators 
 
      The Work Group on the Role and Status of Certified Educators has been 
at work since September 1996, when it was appointed by the NMD Committee. 
Jostes said the current proposal emerged from conversations among educators 
during the annual meeting of the Association of Presbyterian Church 
Educators (APCE) in February, a follow-up work group meeting in March and 
input from significant "thinkers" across the denomination. 
 
     Although all Presbyterians will have an opportunity to respond, the 
draft has been targeted at APCE members, presbytery and synod executives, 
Committee on Ministry chairs, those responsible for education and nurture 
in the presbyteries and synods, theological institution presidents and 
deans, education faculty members, national staff persons, GAC members, 
persons who have responded to the work group's previous "think pieces"and 
other key participants in the Christian education ministry of the PC(USA). 
 
     Copies of the draft may be obtained by contacting Donna Cook, NMD 
associate for certification and accreditation and work group member, at 
(502) 569-5751. Responses must be in Cook's office by Sept. 1. 
 
     In addition to Jostes and Cook, work group members are Lynette Johnson 
of Lexington, Va., work group co-chair; Gay Mothershed of Dallas; Flavia 
Alvarez of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico; Joyce MacKichan Walker of Princeton, 
N.J.; Douglas Tracy of Chicago; Mary Elva Smith of San Diego; and the Rev. 
Marvin Simmers of Louisville, Ky. 

------------
For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 
  mailed from World Faith News <wfn-news@wfn.org>  

--