Where Are We Today
In May, leaders of The Fellowship of Presbyterians and Presbyterians for Renewal (PFR) unanimously approved a new and exciting vision—to combine the strengths of both existing organizations into one new ministry that will continue and promote a faithful, evangelical witness within the PC(USA) and reach across denominational lines to form a community of disciples of Jesus Christ who are committed to living and serving in the mission field of the mainline Church.
Structural changes will be completed by January 1st, 2015 when The Fellowship Community is born. The “Fellowship Community” does not diminish or replace the Fellowship of Presbyterians. Rather, The Fellowship Community allows us to expand our horizon while maintaining our commitment to the PC(USA) and nearly 400 congregations and individuals who are currently members of the Fellowship.
The Fellowship Community will continue to resource and support evangelical, gospel-centered congregations remaining in the PC(USA). Many congregations have discerned God’s call to leave the PC(USA). However, there are many congregations who have discerned the voice of the same Holy Spirit to remain, and others for whom changing denominational identity is simply not an option. It is these congregations that form the first part of the Fellowship Community—the Fellowship of Presbyterians.
PART ONE – “STAYING IN”
The Fellowship will continue to serve our members through:
- A network of Abbots – those who would pastor other pastors, providing the opportunity for accountability, prayer, and a much-needed portal to a community of support;
- Elder Leadership Institute (ELI) – a 15 month course designed to nurture elders as spiritual leaders;
- The 2 or 3 Network – a re-designed focus on smaller membership congregations, encouraging, connecting, and developing leadership, moving them from survival to making disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Mission Affinity Groups (MAGs) – connecting the sessions of congregations of all sizes, who affirm the Fellowship Covenant and essential tenets, to one another as they pursue their missional callings.
- Resources – print and web-based studies, devotionals, etc. for spiritual formation, theological education, worship, and missional nurture
- Regularly scheduled regional events for prayer, worship, and spiritual/missional growth.
PART TWO – ”REACHING OUT”
The Fellowship Community is designed to be a movement rooted in the PC(USA) but reaching out to include evangelicals from other Reformed and related traditions in a Kingdom project. Mainline evangelical congregations are on a similar journey within their own denominational contexts. We have much to learn and much to share in this post-denominational, post-Christendom era.
- Each mainline denomination has its unique challenges, but as members of The Fellowship Community, congregations would have available to them the best resources from within their own tradition (e.g. The Fellowship of Episcopalians, the Fellowship of Lutherans) and the ability to network with the larger community of the Fellowship Community.
- We are planning to create an Ecumenical Council within the Fellowship Community to facilitate this conversation and help us chart the path toward creating these valuable connections.
- This is one of the ways we will keep ECO and the Fellowship congregations within the PC(USA) connected in their theology and vision.
PROCESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
The Fellowship, PFR, and Wee Kirk ministries mutually agree to cease current operations 12/31/14.
Selected members of both the Fellowship and PFR Boards join other stakeholders to form the Board and create the structure of The Fellowship Community. This new Board will be presented at the National Gathering in Dallas.
The Fellowship Community will retain rights to the Fellowship name, brand, and mark(s) and be assigned the financial assets of PFR/Wee Kirk. It will function with a new name under the PFR 501(c)3 certification.
Core commitments of the Fellowship Community include but are not limited to:
- reshaping ministry to evangelical pastors and congregations remaining within the PC(USA)
- rethinking and reshaping ministry to the leaders of smaller membership congregations
- aggressively investigating a Kingdom-focused ecumenical ministry, exploring the potential of a Community based on shared theological and missional commitments that can encompass and reach beyond our current constituencies in the PC(USA) and ECO
The projected staff structure will include:
- Director of the Community (FT)
- Director of Operations (PT)
- Office Administrator (FT)
- Financial Administrator (FT)
- Director of Mission Affinity Groups (PT)
- Communications Coordinator (Contract)
- Development Coordinator (Contract)
DEVELOPMENT PLAN/NEEDS
- A detailed development plan for the 2014-2015 year is currently being executed.
- The development plan calls for initial investments/gifts totaling $200,000 to help underwrite the initial year of the Fellowship Community. Our goal is to raise this seed money by the end of September.
- The total need for the 2015 fiscal year would be approximately $400-450,000 and raising the initial goal of $200,000 would provide nearly 50% of what will be needed to operate for the first year.