In 2018, the General Assembly reconfigured the board that governs the corporate activities of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), A Corporation — basically, which oversees administrative work of the denomination.
What’s happened since then: some “heavy lifting” to put a new organizational structure into place, including the creation of the Administrative Services Group in early 2019; the hiring of Kathy Lueckert as A Corporation president in June 2019; and the creation of an organizational culture focused on client services.
“I think we should feel very good about the work we have done,” said A Corporation board member Cynthia Campbell, including leading the response of the national church to the COVID-19 pandemic, “which was in no one’s strategic plan.”
On the first day of its Aug. 26-27 Zoom meeting, the A Corporation board spent some time looking at what it’s accomplished over those three years; at its intent to shift now from a more hands-on role to one focused increasingly on strategy and fiduciary oversight; and on upcoming priorities, or “where do we go from here?”
The list for the next 18 months includes overseeing the $2.4 million renovation of the first floor of the PC(USA) office building in downtown Louisville so that committee meetings can be held there during the 2022 General Assembly; upgrading the financial system the PC(USA) uses; supporting the launch of a new denominational website; and preparing for shifts in the types of office space needed as more denominational employees work remotely. Also, providing leadership for responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, which feels like “it will never, ever end,” Lueckert said.
On the wish list for projects the A Corporation would like to take on, if finances permit: increasing the number of languages into which materials are translated and interpretation is provided; expanding information technology support; and providing more training opportunities for employees.
Another priority that Lueckert sees: finding ways to think collaboratively, a mentality of “ours” instead of thinking first of separate agencies. “Our current way of being and structure doesn’t serve us well all the time,” she said. Lueckert said she wants to see more movement toward “how do we do this together across boundaries?” — as happened with a cross-agency team formed to project revenue and manage cash flow during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some other points of conversation:
- The renovation of the PC(USA) building will include creating a communications center and conference facilities the denomination hopes it can lease out to other groups that want to meet, either in-person or virtually. Making that happen will require hiring a facilities manager, marketing staff and IT support, Campbell said. “Those conversations are already underway,” Lueckert said.
- Board member JoAnne Sharp asked about what support the PC(USA) will provide to employees working remotely — for example, access to fast internet service. Remote work presents a range of issues, Lueckert said, from IT support to laws and regulations that vary from state to state regarding payroll and other concerns.
The A Corporation board also is tracking business coming to the 2022 General Assembly — both business carried over from the 2020 General Assembly, which met online and only considered essential business, and new items that will be submitted or recommendations that may be revised, such as from the Moving Forward Implementation Special Committee, in the coming months.
One recommendation, from the Racial Equity Advocacy Committee (REAC), asks the assembly to designate unused space at the denomination’s national office building as sanctuary space for immigrants seeking asylum — a recommendation that could come into conflict with the renovation plan. Joyce Rarumangkay, who represents REAC on the A Corporation board, said REAC may need to revisit that recommendation, since the 2020 assembly referred it on to the next assembly without action.
Kerry Rice, the PC(USA)’s deputy stated clerk, said the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) considered a similar idea about two years ago, including talking to lawyers involved in sanctuary work and to partners in the Louisville area involved in working with refugees and asylum seekers. COGA’s conclusion, according to Rice: “Louisville doesn’t need it. Our partners don’t want it at this time.”
The board also raised questions about the financial impact of two proposals – a recommendation from the Family Leave Policy Task Force and an overture from the Presbytery of Hudson River – to make changes to provide paid family leave for PC(USA) ministers.
Board member Chris Mason asked if the A Corporation had done a financial analysis of the impact of those proposed changes. Sharp, who served on the task force, said its proposal would affect the terms of call of Presbyterian ministers — not necessarily the benefits for employees of the national denominational staff.
The A Corporation board meeting continues via Zoom on Aug. 27, with updates expected on the renovation project and on the impact of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic on the denomination’s finances and work.
