Questions and Answers Regarding Canadian Ministries / The Vine (CMV)
The Presbyterian Church in Canada
Life and Mission Agency
December, 2010
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING CANADIAN MINISTRIES / THE VINE (CMV): A NEW WAY FORWARD IN SERVING CONGREGATIONS AND PRESBYTERIES WITHIN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN CANADA
Following the initial media release on September 20, 2010 concerning changes at the national office and the follow-up Vision Statement issued on October 12, some comments and questions have been received by the LMA. In this memo we hope to identify pertinent questions so that the constituency will be aware of the direction of this reorganization. Such questions are a good indication that the church is aware of what has been transpiring and is concerned about the direction of our church in these critical days.
LMA MANDATE AND THIS REORGANIZATION
The vision for the LMA when it was established in 1992 pointed the church toward having an administration that was adaptable, flexible and quick to take into account our rapidly changing society and the needs of our congregations and presbyteries. The church wanted program to determine the structure required to accomplish the tasks, rather than a structure overtaking the program.
It was this spirit which motivated the LMA to bring forth this present reorganization. As the LMA worked on its vision of reorganization, it was also engaged with the Long Range Planning Committee which brought forth the Emmaus Project. The strong message to the church from that event was heard by the LMA staff. The LMA sought to be responsive and take seriously what the church was saying as it journeyed to and from Emmaus.
CONTINUALLY REFORMING
The mandate given to the LMA is that it is to serve as the program arm of the church. Within that mandate, there are checks and balances such as Assembly Council approving the establishment of any executive position and giving permission to circulate presbyteries asking for nominations to such positions. Mandates of the departments established by the LMA are all sent to General Assembly. Since 1992 there have been three new departments established and three departments have been merged or realigned or have had their mandates altered. Even within the various departments, staff assignments have been shifted from one department to another on a regular basis to ensure that the most qualified or experienced staff person would be identified to do the work. This present reorganization follows in that tradition.
REDUCTION IN STAFFING LEVELS
The reduction of five national staff does mean an adjustment in workloads for the remaining staff. The new Associate Secretary for Canadian Ministries/The Vine (CMV) will have goals and objectives that will retain all of the vital aspects of the former The Vine and Canada Ministries. However, we are also examining tasks and responsibilities for support staff and are placing competent and highly gifted people in program coordination positions in CMV so that the goals and objectives overseen by the Associate Secretary will be fulfilled by these staff members. We are planning for these program coordinator positions. Once in place, they will be involved with the constituency enhancing national office and congregational linkages.
Gifts and talents of various staff members are being taken into account and projects are being more appropriately assigned. Especially notable is the centralizing of agency financial administration under Program Support and Administration. That frees up other staff – in all departments – to accept new assignments. There is enthusiasm for these new challenges among all staff in the LMA.
WAS THIS ONLY A FINANCIALLY DRIVEN CHANGE?
The depth of the discussion of the LMA in this strategic review of its work was captured in the Vision Statement of October 12 wherein it was written, “The Life and Mission Agency (LMA) has also been engaged in strategic discussions and has sought counsel and advice from many in the denomination who are dedicated to the future enhancement of the church in its proclamation of the Gospel. Hearing the call of the church, the merger of Canada Ministries and The Vine is a positive direction to help the LMA place emphasis where it is most needed. This LMA reconfiguration desires to accomplish three main goals:
• to re-emphasize the vital importance of congregations;
• to recapture the pivotal role of presbyteries;
• to reorder the program arm of the church – the LMA - so that both congregations and presbyteries are effectively served.
“This merger must be viewed within the context of a larger reconfiguration within the entire LMA. This process in no way diminishes, downgrades, or sets aside any of the vital ministries that the LMA is responsible for to General Assembly. This is a reconfiguration of staff workloads. It is an acknowledgement of a considerable change in how work is done in a new age of technology. The LMA is seeking to sustain ministry in new and innovative ways. For staff there will be reassignments, established fine-line project groups and a readjustment on how financial administration is done within the Agency.
“Evangelism, worship, youth, church extension, Christian education, and church revitalization remain key elements of where emphasis will be placed and where all staff will be asked to insert ingenuity, imagination, effort and resources. Each project and proposed resources will be weighed against those overarching priorities.
“This vision for a reconfiguration of the work carried out on behalf of the entire denomination by the LMA has been inspired by the thoughtful and prayerful input of committee members and many others who care deeply for the denomination. This reconfiguration is in large part a re-emphasis of the entire Agency being of service to congregations and presbyteries. The mission and ministry of the church should be continually reforming and the structures of support for that outreach must keep pace.”
The directive for finding financial savings from within the operational budget was given to the three arms of the national office by the Assembly Council in November, 2009. A plan to reduce the annual operational budget by $900,000 in temporary savings and $815,000 in permanent savings was approved by the Assembly Council. These reductions were to become effective within the 2011 budget year. Following that instruction, every attempt was made to keep the present staff and structure intact for as long as possible and decisions were taken that would have a minimal human resources effect.
Some of the measures presented were based on an analysis of the direction of Presbyterians Sharing which showed the trend of the responses to congregational allocations. A number of years ago a contingency fund had been established; now it had to be drawn upon to meet the operational budget. This was not seen as sustainable in the long-term; therefore, further budgetary savings over three years had to be found.
Measures taken by the Assembly Council included a week of unpaid leave for national staff for two years, a two-year freezing of COLA adjustments for national staff, a revisiting of the formula for what amount would be given to colleges, and a reduction of 3.5 to 5 national office staff positions. In order to minimize the impact on staff, these reductions were delayed as long as possible and were to be shared among the three national office agencies.
It was recognized at that time - one year ago - that there would be a sharing of the financial readjustment across the board. As the LMA has the largest portion of the Presbyterians Sharing budget, it was also recognized that the LMA would be affected to a larger proportion. Every possible scenario and thought was given to how this could be done while still placing renewed emphasis on service to presbyteries and congregations.
As the General Assembly of 2010 did not opt for biennial assemblies, the General Assembly Office, which had tied their proposed reduction to the belief that this would be passed, did not reduce staff. Financial Services did not fill one vacant position and reduced by one more position, the custodian of the national office. The Life and Mission Agency reduced by three positions, two half-time and one full-time support position and one executive position. It was felt that to only reduce support staff positions would not be seen to be fair, and therefore, executive positions were also considered. As there were two pending retirements, these were taken into account and a final decision was taken.
WILL THERE BE FURTHER ADJUSTMENTS?
Review of our ability as a denomination to maintain our national structure falls within the purview of the Assembly Council. The presentations that have been made to that body over the past year and a half all indicated that this present round of budgetary adjustments would be sufficient to see us through the next several years. While other mainline denominations have made radical downsizing decisions, the PCC was spared that drastic action by prudent financial management. Our adjustments have been much milder in comparison.
Everyone in the church recognized that changes were inevitable given the changing demographics of our nation and our church. By taking these painful steps at this time, the national church has sought to be faithful to the challenge given it, instituting changes that would affect the least number of staff people and yet bringing about a renewed sense of mission and ministry for the national office staff.
IS CAMPING AFFECTED BY THESE CHANGES?
A growing interest and kindled enthusiasm remains in our camping ministries. For the last few years The Vine has been a conduit to channel various funds and share resources and inspire leadership in this area. Those involved in camping ministry would like camping to continue to be an active part of the on-going ministry in the new CMV department.
The understanding of the church is that camps fall under the authority of synods. The national church – the LMA, Financial Services, and the Assembly Council, the bodies that have made the decisions on releasing funds for camping - has seen its role for the last many years as being supportive of these synod camps when there were unallocated financial resources available.
We are thankful that a revitalized joint ministry and partnership has sprung up and that national staff have been able to address the questions and concerns of those working in camping ministry. The national office hopes that synods recognize these national contributions as being supportive of their direction and oversight of these instrumental institutions for church outreach. The Leading With Care policy, sent out to all constituent bodies in association with the PCC, and workshops to help explain and promote this policy, are examples of this shared ministry.
As for the future, the national office will endeavour to find funding that could be channelled into camping initiatives. The responsibility for camps remains with the synods of our denomination. Through regular monitoring of other organizations and websites and inter church correspondence, national office staff will continue to pass on information that can be of use in this vital ministry. We are thrilled to do our part in channelling financial and other resources that enhance this ministry.
EVANGELISM AND NEW CHURCH DEVELOPMENT
Both evangelism and new church development, when strategically identified by a presbytery, will receive full national office involvement. The response may be in the form of human, material or financial resources. For each of these areas, the presbytery will take the initiative with the national office contributing to the program in requested and appropriate ways.
The national office believes in the vital importance of evangelism. We would point to the appointment last year of one of our new church development ministers to Evangelism Connections, which ties in directly with our approach to accomplishing progress in the area of evangelism by using the remarkable human resources available across the church. These resources do not just lie within the national office but they are to be found in our congregations. We want to revitalize both clergy and lay people serving in many of these capacities where previously it may have been thought only national office staff serve.
The linking of the work of Canada Ministries and The Vine will enhance how the entire LMA will strive to improve our resourcing of congregations and presbyteries. By linking requests for programs, events and human resources with the requests for funding, we hope to enhance our partnerships.
THE EMMAUS PROJECT EMPHASIS ON PRESBYTERIES
The original media release and the follow-up Vision Statement for the merger of Canada Ministries and The Vine offer glimpses into the thinking of the LMA Committee in regard to encouraging presbyteries to accept the challenge of the Emmaus Project. We applaud the emphasis being placed on presbyteries taking the lead of charting the way forward for the congregations under their care. The national office, and the LMA in particular, stand ready to place resources at the disposal of presbyteries once they have developed their strategic plans.
WILL THERE BE A CMV ADVISORY COMMITTEE?
We envision a strengthened and enhanced CMV advisory committee that will be dealing with emerging issues that are challenging congregations. We know that several models of advisory committees and the rich talent within our constituency will only invigorate discussion for leading the new department – Canadian Ministries/The Vine - into the future.
APPRECIATION FOR THE NATIONAL OFFICE STAFF
While we applaud the national office staff – a feeling that the entire LMA Committee shares, for we believe that they are all called and inspired in their various and several offices – we were challenged by the Assembly Council to look at staffing and to adjust to new realities. We believe we can accomplish our mandate by staff work load sharing and by ensuring that we have competent staff – both executive and support – placed to respond to initiatives envisioned by presbyteries. Ideally we would welcome an enhanced staff complement. Regrettably that was not seen to be possible within projected Presbyterians Sharing revenue which is and has been dependent upon allocations from congregations and which has seen a marked decrease over the last number of years.
We would dare to hope that every staff member in every department of the LMA feels that they are on that frontline of congregational support. We are working with all staff to instil a renewed sense of service and relevance for congregations and presbyteries.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF REGIONAL STAFF IN THE NEW REORGANIZATION
Regional Staff are staff of the various synods that employee them. Their conditions of service, position descriptions and evaluations are all under the purview of their employer. As their position descriptions are not uniform, there is not a prescribed way that the national office is in relation with them as one body. However, each of the national office staff will strive to enhance their working relations with each of the regional staff depending on their areas of specialization and assignment to ensure that there is a collegial relationship and that we are providing as much material and collegial support to those staff as possible. The WMS and the LMA will continue to provide the grant to synods to assist with the costs of regional staffing. The grant provided will be at the rate established by the conveners in 2009 and the LMA will continue to administer this process. The national staff does look upon regional staff as members of a joint ministry and mission team stretching from coast to coast.
WHAT IS COMING?
There will be an alphabetical listing of all programs and issues for which each national office staff person is responsible. This will facilitate telephone and email linkages to these staff people.
If you have further questions, please contact Rick Fee at 1-800-619-7301 ext 245 or at rfee@presbyterian.ca.
Richard W Fee
General Secretary
Helen Smith
Convener
