Next Right Answer: Synod of the Sun Review and Planning Process

All Presbyterians in the Synod of the Sun, are invited to respond to the three review questions below. These instructions were originally sent to synod meeting participants.

COMMISSIONERS AND CORRESPONDING MEMBERS:
As soon as possible, please respond even if you cannot attend the Oct. 27 Synod meeting.

• Answer the three questions on the reverse side.
• Use the questions to interview two people in your presbytery.
• Email all three sets of responses to Valerie Knox vknox@synodsun.com
 

Ideally, you will take a few notes when interviewing others. The interactive process may stimulate helpful dialogue and ideas to send to Synod. All Presbyterians are welcome to participate, but we specifically need your response and two other people you choose. Thank you!
 

BACKGROUND

About five years ago the Synod of the Sun went through an extensive review and planning process which resulted in articulating three mission priorities for the work of the Synod. They are Resourcing Presbyteries, Ministries in Higher Education, and Multicultural Ministries. These are three of the divisions of Synod with the Operations and Communications divisions being responsible for under girding and enabling these priorities.

The Synod has voted to begin another process to review and plan for the future direction of this Synod. The Next Right Answer gets its name from a video by photographer DeWitt Jones in which he teaches that each situation has multiple possibilities and many right answers.

It is the feeling of this Synod that its previous work was a good right answer and that the work of Synod has improved under these mission priorities. Now it is time to learn if there are other right answers for the mission of this Synod, and, if so, what are they and how might they be implemented.

Resources:

 Download instructions (pdf)  (doc)

Synod
brochure
(overview)

Entire Minutes:
April 2006 Synod Meeting

Highlights:
April 2006 Synod Meeting

Pastoral letter from Next Steps Meeting

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Moderator Alan Ford (Pastor – Arkansas Presbytery) invited commissioners and constituents at the stated synod meeting, April 27-29, to employ the Dreams and Visions theme of the new Presbyterian Planning Calendar in their ministries and communications.

“Some think that synods simply shouldn't be – that we're a fifth wheel,” Ford said. “Let's show them otherwise and share dreams and visions.”

Nearly 100 Presbyterians attended the meeting graciously hosted by members and staff of Highland Park Presbyterian Church in Dallas. Opening celebrations included the signing of renewed covenants between the Synod and Austin College, Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries and Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services.
Other celebrations included the renewal of the Mission Initiative Grant program for another three years. Synod's springtime awards from that program granted $67,000 to 13 congregations and groups primarily for new, cooperative mission work.

Synod Executive Judy Fletcher, with scripture and a video clip from a creative thinking series for organizations, urged commissioners to “imagine the next right answer” for the question of how synod fulfills its mission.

Five years ago commissioners and additional presbytery representatives restructured synod in relation to the top three mission priorities they deduced.

“It is time once again to begin a similar process,” Fletcher said envisioning a synod mission and structure that can be even more flexible and responsive as giving patterns of congregations mean fewer funds for the work of many presbyteries and synods.

Presbyterians remain very generous in giving but continue to earmark funds for specific ministries rather than the general mission of the denomination at any level.

Many at the time of the meeting felt grief as prayers included the many staff members of the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, KY, who were soon (May 1) to learn their positions were eliminated.
The actions of the 217th General Assembly to be held June 15-22, may bear strongly on the direction of mission and funding for synods and presbyteries for the immediate future. To address that possibility, the Resourcing Presbyteries division of synod is replacing the annual committee on ministry event with a special event, Aug. 16-18, called Next Steps. It's purpose is to offer leaders from each of synod's 11 presbyteries a forum to consider implications, interpretation and implementation from the actions of General Assembly.

Resourcing Presbyteries Division
Renewed funding for Synod’s Mission Initiative Grant program: $100,000 over a three-year period. This is the third time commissioners have approved this program.
Celebrated the awarding of more than $67,000 in Mission Initiative and other grants to 13 ministry projects in seven presbyteries and two synod-related agencies. All applications were accepted with one pending clarification before money is awarded. (See related article to run in June-July issue of The Presbyterian SUN.)
Approved expenditure of $5,000 for the Small Church Conference 2006.

Named a special event called Next Steps to replace this year’s Committee on Ministry Event. Next Steps, Aug. 16-18 in Dallas, offers a time for leaders across the synod’s 11 presbyteries to look at the actions of the June General Assembly and consider any implications, interpretation and implementation to be done.
The division designated $10,000 to fund the event including travel and accommodations of up to 5 people from each presbytery.

Planned for the assessment of Commissioned Lay Pastors’ training across the synod. The goal is to create more uniform expectations so that the training and the work of commissioned lay pastors might be shared across presbytery boundaries.

Announced Jubilee 2007 – a gathering next June of Presbyterians across the synod for celebration, worship and education with portions devoted to stewardship and revitalization. to be chaired by Christianne Chase. Members include Fred Ryle, Tim Davenport-Herbst, Sylvia Washer, Sam Haun, Nancy Covington and someone to be named from Pines or South Louisiana Presbytery.

MULTICULTURAL MINISTRIES DIVISION
acting Chairperson, Charles Hunter
Called for a convocation of the five synods on both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border to analyze the border situation and design common strategies and actions. Concerns range from the violence and kidnapping of women in Juarez to drug trafficking to national immigration policies. Synod established an ad hoc committee for this purpose.

Synod approved motion of division to urge the institutions and agencies of this synod to be diverse in developing their membership and leadership.

Synod appointed a task force to establish criteria for entities wishing to be recognized as institutions with a covenant relationship with Synod of the Sun. This action stemmed from a request for Project Vida (El Paso, TX) to be included among those institutions.

*Affirmed efforts to persuade the U.S. Congress to preserve voting rights for every American, regardless of race, color, religion or ethnic background. The specific call is for the congress to extend the “extraordinary remedies provision” of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This provision is currently set to expire in 2007.

*Endorsed the overture to the 2006 General Assembly On Advocacy and Welcome for All Immigrants—From the Presbytery of New York City which cites references from scripture and the Book of Order. The overture (#09-15) reaffirms previous GA actions and denominational work. It lists new affirmations including one for congregations and presbyteries standing with immigrants and actively engaged in acts of compassion, empowerment and advocacy.

*Reference: To learn more online about public policy and the church, visit http://www.pcusa.org/washington/

Operations Division
Sara Jean Jackson, Moderator
Set aside $50,000 from unrestricted reserve funds for use towards Percept contracts with the presbyteries.
Recommended that the synod executive committee initiate a review and evaluation of the work, ministry and constituency of the synod. That process should include an examination of the potential funding streams, identification of sustainable synod programs & ministries and evaluation of how synod enhances other entities and programs.
The committee recommends that the mission initiative grant committee do all it can do to strengthen the endowment account and avoid spending down the corpus in order to sustain the program for a long as possible.
Synod received and approved the 2005 audit.

Higher Education Division Robert Street, chairperson
Synod Higher Education Consultant Michael Miller report included these topics: Consultations in Pines Presbytery and with united campus ministry in Texas, workshop on Presbyterian Higher Education, meetings at Schreiner University, with a Lilly Foundation representative, with 20 students from central Texas who have some interest in seminary, and the Chaplains and Presidents Conference. The theme for the latter: “The President as Spiritual Leader of the University.”

Miller also reported that General Assembly moderator, Rick Ufford-Chase is one of the presenters at College Connection event, May 22-26 at Mo-Ranch.

Synod approved a motion to invite two Texas representatives from both the Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ denominations to participate in funding decisions for ecumenical campus ministries each fall.

Synod commissioners heard a new energy from the division in a report from Kyle Walker and Guinn Blackwell-Eagleson who previewed the Micah Mission Project. The project, to be launched in the fall, will help revolutionize the synod's ministry on college campuses which can be viewed as modern mission fields. Promotional material includes professional video production.
 

Communications Division
Presbyterian Communicators Network – South by Southwest Regional Conference – Feb. 22-24, (combined with UMR Communications' Editors Conference) at the Presbyterian Mission Center in Irving, Texas.

Canceled the December 2006 issue of The Presbyterian SUN in preparation for the launch of a new printing schedule in January.
The SUN will be published 6 times per year (Jan. March, May, July, Sept., Nov.) in 2007. Advertising and publishing rates will be increased to reflect changing costs. There has not been a rate increase for several years.

Funding partners will be sought to help ensure future issues of The SUN.

Two guests shared experience and hope as Presbyterian communicators:
Rob Allen, Director of Communications, Grace Presbytery
Jack Haberer, Editor of the Presbyterian Outlook.

Report of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee has elected three persons to fill vacancies on the following boards and commissions:

The Executive Committee has appointed Sarah Jean Jackson and Meg Garver to review the plenary minutes of the Synod meetings in 2006.

For Action

The Executive Committee recommends and approved by synod that the election of Directors for the Board of Dwight, Inc. be returned to the three presbyteries within the state of Oklahoma.

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