GAC’s Communications and Funds Development staff reorganized

Presbyterian News Service: GAC's Communications and Funds Development staff reorganized

LOUISVILLE — The General Assembly Council’s executive committee has approved a restructuring of the Communications and Funds Development (CFD) office that supports the Council’s mission and ministry programs.

Karen Schmidt, deputy executive director for communications and funds development, described the changes as responsive to the new organization of the Council staff, which was approved by the Council at its September 2006 meeting, and to the biennial Mission Work Plan goals and objectives of the Council.

…….

“I’ve spent the first ninety days as deputy executive director talking with staff, listening around the church, and applying proven disciplines of communications and funds development to find the best responses to the opportunities facing the General Assembly Council,” Schmidt said.

…….

The responsibilities of the new CFD departments include:

• Creative services: will combine internet, media and graphic services into one coordinated office;
• Executive office communication: organizational and policy matters, internal (employee) communication, crisis communication planning and PresbyTel, the PC(USA)’s general information service;
• Funds development: the cluster of services charged with raising funds for denominational mission, including The Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts & Hands and the Church Financial Campaign Service;
• Funds development services: the data management area, providing technological support for donor contact and support;
• Mission communications: providing direct support for the mission programs of the denominations, with each major program area — Theology Worship and Education, World Mission, Relief and Development, Justice and Peace, Racial Ethnic and Women’s Ministries/Presbyterian Women and Evangelism and Church Growth — having its own communication support staff;
• Mission Interpretation: The former mission education & promotion area, re-focused around mission interpretation, adding Presbyterians Today magazine to a line-up that also includes including the Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, the Presbyterian Planning Calendar and support for special offerings and disaster relief.

Presbyterian News Service will remain unchanged by this reorganization and will report to the deputy executive director.

A major problem for the General Assembly Council (the "mission board" of the denomination) is that no entity has been responsible for coordinated communication and funds development. Whether you are a one-person business or Exxon, you must constantly tell a unified and coherent story for the whole organization. Some mistake the Presbyterian News Service as the agency responsible for this, but PNS is actually an independent agency the reports on instead of for the GAC.