Meeting at least four times since the creation of the Ministry Council
by the 177th General Assembly, we have been working to grasp for
ourselves the flow of work that will occur when the restructuring is
complete. The Ministry Council offers this brief description of
how we envision the structure. This is a process that will
continue to develop and be refined as we learn from our experience and
continually strive to improve the coordination of programming
ministries.
In order to promote a clearer understanding of the structure through
which the programming ministry of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
will occur, the Ministry Council has created a diagram overview.
During the process of developing the diagram, we identified some
changes in terminology (subject to approval by the General Assembly)
that help clarify the purposes of each of the working bodies.
Arrows on the diagram indicate that communication travels in all
directions.
The Ministry Council is the visioning body of the Church and is
accountable to the General Assembly. The Ministry Council serves
as the primary long and short range planning agency of the church,
striving to ensure that all segments work on a unified mission and that
human and material resources are distributed and utilized to carry out
the ministry of the church in an effective, efficient manner.
The Director of Ministries is under the direct employment of and
responsible to the Ministry Council. This person gives executive
leadership to the Ministry Council in accomplishing the duties defined
in its Bylaws and supervises the Global Ministry Leadership Team.
The Global Ministry Leadership Team is made up of the Director of
Ministry and the Ministry Team Leaders (executives of the pre-merger
Board of Missions, Board of Christian Education, Commission on the
Ministry, and Cumberland Presbyterian Publication Board). This
body interprets the vision/mission of the church to the Ministry Teams,
coordinating the ministries in a unifying, bridging manner.
The Ministry Teams (referred to as “Advisory Committees” per the 2007
General Assembly) provide planning and implementation of the programs
of the Church. Ministry Teams are made up of a Team Leader, Staff
Team Members (paid employees) and Elected Team Members (members of the
pre-merger programming boards). Ministry Teams are empowered to
make real decisions regarding planning and implementation of the
vision/mission that is discerned by the Ministry Council and
coordinated by the Global Ministry Leadership Team. Ministry Team
Staff members and Elected Members have equal voice within their
respective Ministry Teams.
The Ministry Teams, with a brief definition, are:
Communications Ministry Team—responsible for
the publication of The Cumberland Presbyterian, web sites, and /or
other publications.
Discipleship Ministry Team—responsible for
Christian Education and stewardship education.
Pastoral Development Ministry Team—responsible
for the care of clergy, clergy spouses, and those seeking ordination.
Missions Ministry Team—responsible for both
USA and World Wide (referred to as “Global” per the 2007 General
Assembly) missions, under the direction of the Missions Ministry Team
Leader.
These brief descriptions by no means encompass the full scope of the
work of the organization structure.
