BALTIMORE – As two top policy-making bodies in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) meet Feb. 12-14 in Baltimore, the specter of the 2020 General Assembly and “what comes next” is hanging heavy over these sessions, in discussions on budgets and priorities and new understandings on how to share what resources are available. On Feb. 13, the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board will meet in joint session – a session that will include conversation with some of the key players involved in what’s transpiring, including the co-moderators of the Moving Forward Implementation Commission, Larryetta Ellis and Marco Grimaldo, Also up: representatives from the Special Committee on Per Capita Based Funding and National Church Financial Sustainability, and the 2020 Vision Team. Unified budget The catch phrase for some of what’s changing is “unified budget.” The subtext is: with nudging from the Moving Forward Implementation Commission, … [Read more...]

STONY POINT, New York – Work is underway to develop a Presbyterian Mission Agency mission budget for 2021 and 2022 – with the initial look at that to be presented when the board meets in Baltimore in February. An update on that was on the dance card of business items the board considered Sept. 27 during its fall meeting, taking place at Stony Point Center outside New York. The board discussed feedback it received following a two-day consultation with mid council leaders convened in Baltimore just after Big Tent in August – an attempt to hear from synod leaders (and about a half-dozen presbytery leaders) what they wanted to see in PMA budget priorities for the next two years. Some responses: Talk to more presbytery folks in future consultations. Figure out ways to have a particular mission focus – such as PMA’s Matthew 25 vision. Guide the budget for more than just one or two years. Barry Creech, director of policy, administration and board support for PMA, said the plan is … [Read more...]