Middle governing body leaders [PCUSA] ask the tough questions

Presbyterian Outlook: Middle governing body leaders [PCUSA] ask the tough questions

Are you ready to fire yourself? Presbytery and synod representatives, gathered in Albuquerque, N.M., Feb. 14-16, seeking ways to salvage their governing bodies. In the process they were asked to risk losing their careers.

“Do we need synods? Do we need executive presbyters?” asked conference facilitator Gilbert R. Rendle. “These [questions] are dangerous because as we ask them, we have to ask whether we are ready to lose our jobs. I don’t take such questions easily.  Three times I’ve gone through a process that led to the determination that my job was not needed. I didn’t like it then. I don’t like it now.”

Rendle spoke about more than a corporate restructuring. He pressed those gathered leaders like a revival preacher. “This is a spiritual issue, a Mosaic issue. Are we ready to go out into the wilderness, not knowing where we are going to end up?” 

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As a consultant, he said during the past five years all the middle governing bodies with which he has worked was going through a process of downsizing.  “Two primary motives have driven that: First, economic realities. How do we pare back to be able to do what we want to do? … Second: What is our output? What does our church need from us at the moment?”

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Mainline churches are all suffering identity crises as their role in American society has changed over recent years, outlined Rendle. “One of the plagues of the mainline tradition is that it spent a main part of its life being a part of the establishment.  When you are part of the establishment culture, you don’t need to have an identity. Our purpose was framed more by our culture than by our call.”

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The discussions generated much anxiety. Some had come looking for a plan to solve a financial crisis being felt in their presbyteries, but neither Rendle nor any of the participants would provide any simple solutions. Graham Hart, executive for Peace River Presbytery in Florida reflected, “This is a wilderness time. We don’t know the solutions or even all the questions. Neither new wineskins nor old wine is going to get us where we need to go. The process is painful, but God is in charge.”

Terry Newland, executive for Synod of Living Waters, and member of the planning task force, said, “Gil (Rendle) said that if we took this seriously, it would cause anxiety. That was evident in our closing session. There are people hurting, and while the visioning process is being implemented, we need to minister to our colleagues’ immediate needs, too. That’s got to be one of our ministries in the immediate future.”