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LOUISVILLE — Ahead of its deadlines for the 227th General Assembly, the Unification Commission on Thursday approved changes or updates to several important practices and documents, including the Organization for Mission, which describes how the General Assembly is organized to carry out the PC(USA)’s missional work between assemblies.
Commissioners are meeting through Friday online and in person at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
The UC unanimously approved most of the 33-page Organization for Mission, leaving for commissioners’ online meeting set for Feb. 12 several portions they’ve not reviewed previously. The Rev. Debra Avery of the UC’s Mission Coordination Committee delivered the presentation on the OFM Thursday afternoon.
The UC’s mandate included revising the Organization for Mission and working “to align the entities, boards, committees and constituent bodies of the General Assembly toward long-term faithfulness and financial sustainability of its mission within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).” The UC has conducted dozens of stakeholder consultation sessions and a review of historical materials and existing documents leading up to the creation of the new document. The Relationship Coordination Committee met with 17 groups in 2025 to gather information about the operations and capacity of current GA committees.
Key questions around establishing the new board to oversee the work of the Unified Agency include:
- What are the polity and administrative essentials for the board with governance, stewardship and accountability responsibilities on behalf of the General Assembly?
- What is the structure needed to do this work?
- What are the critical board relationships?
The new board will have 18 members and will meet twice following the assembly — an online meeting Aug. 11 followed by an in-person meeting at the Presbyterian Center Sept. 17-19. Four of the 18 members will come from the UC. A number of representatives of various boards and organizations will have voice, but no vote on the board.
The UC’s co-chair, Cristi Scott Ligon, presented recommendations from the Relationships Coordination Committee on the sizes of several committees and boards, including the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, the Presbyterian Historical Society Advisory Committee, Mission Responsibility Through Investment, the Presbyterian Hunger Program Advisory Committee, the Administrative Commission of Mid Councils, the Educator Certification Committee and the Mission Development Resources Committee.
Related reading: Follow the Unification Commission from the beginning
The UC also voted to work with staff to review and approve applicants to serve as Theological Student Advisory Delegates, or TSADs, during the upcoming assembly.
Commissioners approved a motion to amend the Standing Rules for the Stated Clerk Nominating Committee and four recommendations from Mission Responsibility Through Investment.
The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly and Executive Director of the Unified Agency, reported on, among other things, the recent trip by a PC(USA) delegation to Israel-Palestine and Jordan. Go here to read more about what the delegation experienced.
The Unification Management Office delivered a report including highlights since the most recent UC meeting last month. Those include initiation of a new standing weekly all-staff communication on Tuesday mornings; the design of operating processes for administrative, finance, and meetings and travel support; the continuation of the 2027-28 budget process; the near completion of a Human Resources effort in support of the new organization structure; and finalization of planning for the all-staff gathering set for next week.
Ligon and her fellow co-moderator, the Rev. Dr. Felipe Martínez, delivered their report.
“The Organization for Mission and the changes to the Standing Rules are such a significant part of this ongoing process of unification,” Martínez said, “because they represent the framework and governance processes within which the GA’s stated goal of unification takes shape … as we live into our common calling to serve God.”
“Our next few months will include ongoing preparations for the 227th General Assembly,” Ligon said, “in particular the presentation of our work and report to GA committees and the full assembly” as well as “our governance responsibilities as the board for the Unified Agency to receive and forward to the assembly items of business from various GA committees and bodies.”
“We couldn’t do any of this without God’s grace,” the co-moderators told their fellow commissioners, as well as “your steadfast commitment in committee assignments and UC meetings, the tireless support and guidance from the staff, and the involvement of mid councils and partners throughout the span of the denomination.”
By Mike Ferguson, Presbyterian News Service
