wfn.org | Women’s program review sails through committee

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Note #6029 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

GA00081
June 27, 2000

Women’s program review sails through committee

	By Nancy D. Borst

LONG BEACH, June 27- A review of the Women’s Ministries Program Area was
approved with thanks by the Committee on Mission Coordination and Budgets on
Tuesday.  The review was made through mail surveys, staff interviews, and
conference calls that gathered information. A random sample of 500 female
and 500 male Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) clergy, more than 2,500
constituents of the program area, and representatives from all 188
presbyteries took part.

	Eighty-seven percent of respondents with knowledge of the program area gave
it an overall rating of “excellent” or “good.” Concerns included too much
complexity, sexism, and the lack of a single office serving women of the
church.

	The committee disapproved an overture that sought to amend the sexual
misconduct portion of the General Assembly Council Employee Handbook. The
committee said it was unclear what was considered “sexual conduct outside
the bounds of marriage between a man and a woman,” wondering whether it
included such actions as kissing.

	A commissioners’ resolution was approved that allows all PC(USA) employees
to maintain personal memberships in any unofficial Presbyterian groups. It
also allows employees to use church-provided travel money to attend meetings
sponsored by an unofficial Presbyterian group or ecumenical organization.
The organization must be related to the work of the church and attendance
must have a supervisor’s approval.

	A commissioner’s resolution asking for more funding for the denomination’s
Washington office was disapproved. The money was needed to maintain full
staffing and meet the administrative costs of resourcing those in other
levels of the church.

One small-church pastor noted that the $81,000 annual cost was significantly
more than he would ever make in his ministry.

At the end of the day, Tuesday, an attempt failed to re-visit a media and
visitor policy that had been approved Monday. The vote was 31-13 against
reconsidering the policy, which allows certain small groups at nonbusiness
gatherings to close portions of their meetings for the purpose of sharing
faith and life issues.

In committee business Monday, a temporary infusion of funding for the
Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel was approved by
the committee.

A total of $250,000 for two years was approved to keep the council afloat
while a study about its responsibilities and actual funding needs is
conducted. Results of that study are to be presented to the 213th General
Assembly.

This action dealt with two overtures regarding military chaplains. A third
overture suggests that funding come from the per capita budget and that the
council for chaplains be assigned to the General Assembly Council for
administration and funding. It was referred to the same body conducting the
study.

Several military chaplains spoke in favor of the overtures during open
hearings Monday morning. Peter Strong said he had been away from his family
the equivalent of three of the seven years he has served as a chaplain.
Funding from the PC(USA) has been cut every year, he said. “That says to me
my denomination doesn’t support the work I do,” he said.

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