219^th General Assembly
2010

Committee 9: Mission Coordination

An introductory look at some issues coming to this committee

[6-10-10]

Click on any Item number to jump to the full text on the PC-BIZ website.

Item 09-01 reflects an overture from Pittsburgh Presbytery entitled “On Strengthening the Peacemaking Program.” This is set forth as a celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the important document, “Peacemaking: The Believers’ Calling,” and the establishment of the Peacemaking Program. It would “celebrate” by creating a nine-member task force to present suggestions to the 220^th GA for updating the church’s peacemaking efforts in light of more recent developments such as the emergence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD); the recovery by the U.S., after Viet Nam, of its status as a respected “superpower”; the end of the “cold war”; new wars; globalization and the current global financial crisis; the role of religions in wars and in peacemaking; and “the rise of Muslim influence and militancy.”   [NOTE: This item has now been moved to Committee 13, and is numbered 13-11]

The proposal focuses much concern on “weapons of mass destruction,” which is a term used largely in accusations against those accused of terrorism, without any reference to the nuclear arsenal and other forms of warfare such as drone aircraft, which are primarily a part of the arsenals of U.S. and other “Western” nations. There seems to be a certain one-sidedness about the “updating” that is being envisioned.

The proposal calls for the creation of “an advisory committee of six expert persons to meet quarterly to counsel the Peacemaking Program on issues regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and other emerging issues.” It is unclear why the standing committee for the Peacemaking Program would need to be supplemented with such an “advisory” body. It’s worth noting that an earlier advisory committee voted to disband, so that revenue from the Peacemaking Offering could be devoted to staff, programs, and resources, and not spent on their meetings. 

The proposal also includes a very interesting call for “a seminary and college-wide review of peace studies and peacemaking opportunities appropriate to the major shifts in the approach of the United States international relations ...” Its goal would be to “engage students in active peacemaking and to share the wisdom of faculty among our church-related educational institutions.” (Item 13-07 deals with similar possibilities for supporting peace studies and action in the arena of higher education.)

Item 09-03, On Amending the Process for Forming Social Witness Policy, would require that “all social witness policy and resolutions shall be sent to all presbyteries for study, discussion, and comment back to the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy drafts of resolutions to presbyteries and distributing their comments to commissioners in order to warn them in advance about potential controversial recommendations.” While Item 08-09 exemplifies the need for open processes and consultation, this approach might have the unfortunate effect of giving an official voice to unstudied opinions.

Items 09-06, 07, 09, and 18 all point to areas of the work and witness of the PC(USA) that have been neglected or dissolved over the past few years, calling for renewed commitment to them. These include ministries in higher education, the social ministries carried on through the Presbyterian Health, Education, and Welfare Association, the observance of Criminal Justice Sunday, and staffing for women’s advocacy. While financial constraints are very real, we believe efforts such as these to assert very important priorities deserve careful attention and renewed commitment.  [Item 09-18 has been withdrawn.]
 

GA actions ratified (or not) by  the presbyteries   

A number of the most important actions of the 219^th General Assembly are now being sent to the presbyteries for their action, to confirm or reject them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.

We're providing resources to help inform the reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.

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