
Open Space: Before the Presbytery Meeting
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March 26, 2019, 9:00 am - 10:00 am
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Business Meeting including lunch
Meeting documents can be found on the Presbytery Meetings page of our website.
9:00 am – 10:00 am: Open Space
10:00 am – 3:00 pm: Business Meeting (Click here for more information)
Click here for meeting materials and documents
Open Space Sessions: Next Presbytery Meeting – March 26th
The Staffing Model Task Force has been busy and productive in fulfilling the task the Presbytery gave it of bringing to the March 26th presbytery meeting a staffing plan for our presbytery. Busy and productive though doesn’t mean “finished” because we aren’t. Sorry about that, but we’ve decided that well-done is much better than “barely cobbled together,” and so we’re letting you know that our work is still on-going.
In light of that, we’re planning an Open Space Discussion to start at 9:00 am before this next presbytery meeting. We’ll share with you some of our ideas and listen to you as well. Come and join us because your insights might very well bring great blessings to our presbytery and glory to God!
Here is a conversation long overdue. In some ways, it pits our past against our present.
According to this year’s budget, Albany Presbytery will distribute just short of $40,000 in unequal grants to six Mission Partners. These six have long relationships with us. It is difficult for everyone to consider other patterns.
And yet, for 2019 we had to cut each Partner by 10% because of Presbytery’s declining revenue.
Some people are now asking:
- Should Presbytery continue to grant mission dollars?
- Why should we act as a pass-thru for funding?
- Why not let Sessions decide whom to support?
- What does it take to become a Mission Partner?
- Can new programs apply?
- Can our own churches apply?
- What forms of accountability should Presbytery demand?
No easy answers, anywhere.
If you want to weigh in on this highly-charged subject, the Mission Committee invites you to Delmar from 9:00 to 10:00 am on Tuesday, March 26. There’s a place at the church there waiting for you. Our minds are open – and also our hearts.
Rev. Ted Wright, HR
Chairperson, Church Mission Committee, Albany Presbytery