“We have to re-formulate our identity,” Rev. Daniel Cho told the Life and Mission Agency Committee in March. “And how it is articulated and communicated to ourselves and others, because that perception will reflect and influence our work.”
The comment was spurred on by a visitor to his congregation who said that one of her Presbyterian relatives told her not to talk about Jesus too much while visiting because “Presbyterians don't do that.”
“I think sometimes we get caught up in the 'isms' and forget about the mission we are called to carry out,” said Cho, committee convener. “What a disservice we do to ourselves when we don't embrace the freedom within our identity. It limits us and how we do things. It would be an advantage for us to re-visit our identity; it helps us change, and to communicate God's message through us in different ways.”
Women's Missionary Society president Druse Bryan reported that the society is currently embarking on a visioning process, and evaluating their membership and finances. They have sent out a questionnaire to members and the WMS executive will discuss the responses at their next meeting to “discern what God has in store for the WMS.”
Ann Taylor, president of the Atlantic Mission Society, also reported that it is a time of transition and identity-searching for the AMS. Members have expressed how important fellowship is to them and their groups, and the executive meeting in April will focus on fostering this fellowship, as well as developing groups and small group ministries. The society is excited about a youth initiative done in conjunction with Camp Geddie, where four youth being trained as camp leaders will also receive training as “youth mission animators” who will then travel to congregations and presbyterials to speak on mission and mission education, and how mission can be brought to life (“animated”) to children and youth.
The recent decision of the WMS to cut back on its funding of regional staff from $400,000 to $200,000 beginning in 2009 precipitated the on-going talks about regional staff. The LMA, along with the WMS, hired a consultant in 2007 to review the regional staffing model that has been in place since 1994. The committee had an opportunity to review this report and its recommendations. The WMS was set to review the consultant's report at their Council Executive meeting in mid-March. A joint report was submitted to the Assembly Council at the end of March. The final report will be submitted to the General Assembly in June. A copy of the final report will also be sent to the regional staff and their respective regional staffing committees.
The committee also discussed several possible responses to an overture sent by the Presbytery of Seaway-Glengarry asking for national, ongoing funding to Presbyterian camps. Committee members agreed that camping is a valuable, much-needed ministry of the church. They sympathized with camps and the challenges they face, mostly which stem from financial worries. The committee's comments will help formulate a final response to take to General Assembly in June.
Concerns were also heard about the church's new website; and the search continues for a new associate secretary for the Communications and Resource Production department.
