The decision in January 2025 to shutter the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)’s World Mission ministry area is much on the minds of commissioners at the 227th General Assembly (GA), affecting several items of business across multiple committees.
One of those places, perhaps surprisingly, came in the General Assembly Relationships Committee — even though a specific item on world mission was not on its agenda.
What was on the agenda, however, was reviewing a revised Organization for Mission (GAR-05), which will govern the denomination’s work after the merger of the former Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency into a single agency – Presbyterian Life & Witness (PL&W) – under a single top executive — Jihyun Oh, who also serves as the denomination’s stated clerk.
Over two days, the committee spent more than nine hours working through the 36-page document line by line. Much of the discussion centered on concerns that the proposal would concentrate too much authority and power in the unified agency and a top executive, where there had previously been two.
Over two days, the committee spent more than nine hours working through the 36-page document line by line.
Frustration and displeasure over the World Mission decision heightened several committee members’ sensitivity to the issue of accountability.
“It’s a direct response” to the closing of World Mission, Commissioner Greg Allen-Pickett, from the Presbytery of Central Nebraska, acknowledged at one point during the lengthy debates.
“I’m tired of finding stuff out that I didn’t know about,” said Commissioner Laurena Will from the Presbytery of Northern New York.
Several committee members pushed back, however, complaining that the multiple amendments were, as Commissioner William Gable from Presbytery of New Covenant said, “too much policy and not enough foundation” and were “less of a guardrail and more of a restriction.”
Deb Avery, a member of the PL&W board who presented and explained much of the proposed Organization for Mission, said the suggested changes were “more into the weeds” than in the past.
Related reading: “Stated Clerk Jihyun Oh on leadership, cuts, and accountability” by Teri McDowell Ott, Outlook reporting
An example of the multiple revisions was the removal of authorization for PL&W “to amend the priorities as needed throughout the two years.”
Further, the committee added a requirement that PL&W include a “plain-language summary of any ministry categories or programs that have been eliminated, substantially restructured, or reduced by 25% or more since the previous General Assembly, including the date of each such decision and the PL&W Board vote by which it was authorized; a statement of whether any such changes were made in response to Commissioner Resolutions or GA directives, and if so, whether those resolutions or directives were honored; and notification of significant program changes anticipated in the upcoming biennium.”
Similarly, the committee removed permission for PL&W to end programs, striking: “PL&W Board may bring Assembly-approved programs or priorities over which it has implementation oversight to conclusion if determined no longer viable or feasible, unless the General Assembly specifies a timeframe for implementation. Such actions shall be reported to the Assembly in its next regular report.”
Finally, the committee also removed the PL&W’s ability to amend the Organization for Mission on its own, lodging it exclusively with the General Assembly itself.
By no means were the decisions unanimous, and many votes had narrow margins. The final version, however, was adopted unanimously.
The amended Organization for Mission now goes to the full General Assembly, which can make any changes it wishes before it becomes final. Commissioners gather in person in Milwaukee on Saturday (June 27) and will take up the plan during the six-day meeting.
