wfn.org | Downsizing comes to the PC(USA)

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7137 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

22-April-2002
02155

Downsizing comes to the PC(USA)

Cuts total $5.7 million, cost 66 jobs

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE - General Assembly Council (GAC) staff leaders unveiled 2003 unrestricted budget reduction proposals Monday totaling $4,244,771. An additional $1.4 million in restricted funds was also trimmed from the budget.

The revised Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly mission budget for next year - $130,123,844 - will go to the GAC's Executive Committee this weekend for approval.

The new budget proposes the elimination of 66 full-time staff positions, or 12 per cent of the GAC's work force. In addition, 34 Presbyterian missionary positions overseas will be left vacant as incumbents in them retire or complete their terms of service this year. 

Forty-three staff members at the Presbyterian Center were informed this morning that their positions have been recommended for elimination. Two additional positions will be eliminated by the end of the year and 21 currently vacant positions will be also be eliminated.

Deputy GAC executive director Kathy Lueckert told the Presbyterian News Service (PNS) that the staff cuts numbered 8 to 10 fewer than originally anticipated.

In a letter to executive committee members, GAC executive director John Detterick called the budget-cutting process "very long, difficult and painful." In an interview this morning, he told PNS, "I realize this has been a long period of anxiety for people. Kathy's done a great job, particularly with the people involved and I think we've done the very best in commitment to the Holy Spirit and good stewardship."

Detterick and Lueckert  have repeatedly expressed the need for the GAC to do fewer things and do them well. When the budget-cutting process began in earnest in February, they anticipated sizable "strategic reductions."

Their analysis of the final cuts classifies 15 percent as strategic reductions, with "reductions in work" accounting for 41 percent of the cuts and 44 percent as "reorganization of work" and "other administrative efficiencies."

"I initially hoped for significantly higher levels of strategic cuts," Detterick said. "But what we found were significant opportunities for efficiencies and structural changes to save money."  He pronounced himself "completely satisfied" with the budget-cutting proposal because "its smart to try to do all that we can administratively before turning to program cuts that would affect our partnerships with congregations and middle governing bodies."

He praised each of the ministry divisions - Congregational Ministries, National Ministries, and Worldwide Ministries - and the Mission Support Services office for their strategic approaches to budget reductions.

National Ministries began by identifying "franchise ministries" that are key to its work, summarizing them as:

* "to provide essential denominational services"

* "to support and promulgate Presbyterian policy in church and society" and

* "to nurture and encourage churchwide networks and alliances."

Worldwide Ministries identified seven "core functions":

* "foster meaningful relationships and cooperation with partner churches and related ecumenical councils"

* "maintain a dynamic program of sending and receiving people in mission"

* "serve communities of need holistically"

* "develop, propose, and share policies, best practices, priorities, goals and strategies for effective Presbyterian mission work"

* "work with middle governing bodies, congregations and associations to foster understanding, prayer, support and participation in witness and service"

* "foster clear and invitational communication about worldwide mission through the denomination and its partner churches" and

* "foster financial accountability and growth."

Congregational Ministries continued its long-term reorganization plan, "Unified to Better Serve," with an emphasis on directing enough resources to the new "We Believe" curriculum to ensure its prospects for success.

Whether this will be the last round of downsizing for the PC(USA) is anyone's guess. The GAC has embarked on a strategic visioning process that is intended to a long-term framework for the council's work. Detterick believes this round of budget-cutting, "as painful as it is," is a boon to that process.

"We've done the type of analysis we normally don't do," he said. "This has been a great opportunity to think about the work we do and how we do it. No one knows what happens down the road, but we'll be stronger and better able because of what we've done here."

Key cuts:

Congregational Ministries Division:

* Elimination of the Peacemaking Advisory Committee.

* Elimination of the Presbyterian Planner and suspension of Bridge/Witherspoon book imprints.

* Reduced support of staff and program at Montreat, Ghost Ranch and Stony Point conference centers.

* Reduced expenses for the Theological Education Fund.

* Reduced staff at the Presbyterian United Nations Office.

* Reduced marketing and "interpretive" expenses for Congregational Ministries Publishing.

National Ministries Division:

* Consolidation of the rural ministry and small church ministry offices.

* Postponement of Office of Church Growth implementation.

* Reduced grants to racial ethnic advisory committees and caucuses.

* Elimination of deployed staff supervisor position in Women's Ministries and other Presbyterian Women staffing adjustments to be determined.

* Elimination of an intern position in the Presbyterian Washington Office.

* Elimination of grant to the National Council of Churches' National Ministries Unit.

Worldwide Ministries Division:

* Leave 34 long-term missionary positions vacant

* Restructuring of area coordinators' functions and territories.

* Reduction in grants to partner churches.

* Reduce international volunteers office and mission service recruitment office.

* Eliminate Thuma Mina mission theater troupe.

* Reduce international volunteer stipend grants.

Others:

* Elimination of Glimpses, a quarterly bulletin insert-sized newsletter.

* Elimination of churchwide subsidy for PresbyNet subscribers.

* Reduced printing and equipment costs and reduction of some services in the Office of Information Services.

* Reduced expenses for the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.

* Reduced grant to the National Council of Churches' Communication Commission.

* Fund the Presbyterian Panel out of reserves in 2003 and pursue foundation funding in coming years.

For the complete proposed 2003 mission budget-cutting report, go to www.pcusa.org/2003missionbudget.pdf 
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