This overview of mission funding in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is designed to help sessions, mission committees and church staff make sound decisions about the use of their mission funds. It provides basic information. While the focus of this primer is on how mission funds flow to and through the PC(USA), many congregations also support mission through other mission agencies. God is at work in exciting ways around the world, and many Presbyterians share the Presbyterian Global Fellowship’s commitment to partnerships in mission that include but are not limited to denominational efforts and traditional PC(USA) partners. Click here to download it as a PDF file for printing. This overview was prepared by the PGF Leadership Team.
Who decides where my congregation’s mission money goes?
Your session. The session of each Presbyterian church is responsible for the mission and governance of that congregation, including leading the congregation in its participation in mission and determining what will be done with funds the congregation gives for mission support.
Do you have any recommendations about mission giving?
We encourage sessions to help their congregations rethink their stewardship of resources in light of the church’s missional calling, intentionally investing personal and financial resources in both local and global mission endeavors. We encourage sessions to designate giving by their congregations toward the most effective, accountable and biblically faithful mission efforts, within the Presbyterian family and elsewhere. (See below for some specific suggestions.)
Should we send all of our mission funds to the Presbyterian Global Fellowship?
No. PGF does not see its role as one of receiving gifts and then forwarding them on to other organizations. At this early stage in our ministry, we do recommend supporting the work of the three PC(USA) Validated Mission Support Groups – Medical Benevolence Foundation, The Outreach Foundation, and Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. We also recommend designating gifts for PC(USA) missionaries, mission projects and other efforts that you feel called to support. Different ways to designate to PC(USA) mission are described below.
There are opportunities to support the ministry of Presbyterian Global Fellowship, and information about those needs may be found at the end of this document.
What happens to undesignated mission money that we send to the PC(USA)?
These funds are used by your presbytery, synod and General Assembly to support their mission budgets. On the form churches typically use to send in gifts, most presbyteries recommend a ratio according to which undesignated giving is to be divided between the three governing bodies, but your session may specify where it wants its undesignated mission support to go. For example, a session might decide that all of its undesignated mission money will go to the presbytery, or that it will be divided between presbytery and GA. Because presbyteries receive and disburse these funds differently, it is very important that sessions find out how their own presbytery handles them.
If my congregation sends mission funds through our presbytery, what should we ask?
Presbyteries handle mission funds differently, and PGF encourages sessions to talk with presbytery leaders in order to understand how your presbytery works.
Because some presbyteries have been known to hold funds for an unduly long time, ask what the turn-around time is for gifts that are forwarded to the synod, GA, or other mission agencies.
Because some presbyteries have instituted an administrative fee on designated gifts, it is important to find out if your presbytery charges such a fee.
Some presbyteries have a practice of equalizing designated gifts in a way that minimizes the impact of session decisions about the designation of funds.
Find out what happens in your presbytery!
Can we designate gifts for specific parts of the General Assembly mission budget?
Yes, gifts that are given for a particular cause within the approved mission budget of a presbytery, synod, or General Assembly are called DIRECTED gifts. A copy of the latest Directed Mission Support Book, listing directed giving options at the GA level, is available from Presbyterian Distribution Service (800-524-2612). It is important to note that projects in the Directed Mission Support Book are already included in the mission budget for funding. While focusing your commitment on a specific project allows you the opportunity to choose how your dollars are used and may help with mission interpretation, it does not increase the amount of money that the PC(USA) dedicates to the project. And when you designate funds for one part of the budget, this allows undesignated mission dollars to be used for another part of the approved budget.
I have heard about something called ECOs. What are they, and why would we give to them?
EXTRA COMMITMENT OPPORTUNITY (ECO) gifts are designated for specific PC(USA) approved mission purposes that are above and beyond what is included in the GA mission budget. During the last decade ECO giving has greatly increased as congregations have sought to designate their giving for specific projects and to connect to mission in more direct ways. An Extra Commitment Opportunity book is printed each year, containing hundreds of worthwhile mission projects in the U.S. and around the world. Usually, an ECO project will not receive funding unless gifts designated for this purpose are made. The ECO catalog is also available through Presbyterian Distribution Service (800-524-2612).
Can I send funds that will directly support PC(USA) missionaries?
Yes. Current PC(USA) missionaries are listed in the International Mission Personnel Almanac available from Presbyterian Distribution Services (PDS# 74-950-06-002). Except for those serving in sensitive areas that prevent them from being identified on the Internet, missionaries are also listed on the PC(USA) website at www.pcusa.org/missionconnections/.
In addition to the options of sending undesignated support for the General Assembly mission budget and directing gifts for missionary support through the Directed Mission Support program, it is now possible to support individual PC(USA) missionaries through a special Second Mile Missionary Support Extra Commitment Opportunity account. Missionary support gifts may be sent to the PC(USA) for ECO #132192. Be sure to indicate clearly the name of the missionary you wish to support! The World Mission staff will track these funds and be sure that they are used only to support the missionary for whom the funds were given.
There is also a general ECO account, Faith Factor Missionary Support (ECO #051790), to which gifts may be sent to increase the denomination’s overall funds for sending missionaries. These funds are only used to support missionaries. The PC(USA) World Mission program area is currently working on useful new ways for congregations to provide direct support for specific missionaries. PGF will publicize these new missionary support options as soon as the information is available.
The Outreach Foundation is raising funds for many PC(USA) missionaries, and funds for those persons may be sent directly to the Outreach office. For more details about how to support Presbyterian missionaries, contact the World Mission offices at 888-728-7228 or The Outreach Foundation at 800-791-5023.
Does the PC(USA) charge a fee on designated gifts?
Usually. An administrative fee on designated gifts was instituted by the General Assembly Council in 2005. This fee generates revenue to help support the administrative expenses of the GAC. In the past these administrative costs were covered using undesignated revenues. The normal fee now charged to restricted gifts is 5 percent. There are special provisions for fees on gifts for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the validated mission support groups, and the Mission Initiative.
What exactly is “per capita”?
Technically not mission dollars, per capita is a voluntary per-member contribution that congregations make to higher governing bodies to defray their administrative and program costs. Governing bodies choosing not to use per capita may fund their administrative budgets with mission dollars. PGF recommends to you a paper on per capita entitled “Pursuing Our Highest Moral Obligations: Facts and Sample Resolutions Concerning Per Capita.” This piece, available under the “Articles” link on the Presbyterians for Renewal website at www.pfrenewal.org, was written in the fall of 2006 by a collaborative group representing several renewal organizations.
What are the “validated mission support groups”?
Three organizations work in a covenant relationship with the denomination to expand Presbyterian involvement in and support for mission around the world – Medical Benevolence Foundation, Outreach Foundation, and Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. PGF encourages, endorses and prays for their work as mission-oriented groups related to the PC(USA). You can support these groups directly or through your giving to PC(USA) by giving to their ECO account. They receive no funding from the General Assembly.
Medical Benevolence Foundation (ECO#862700) exists to proclaim and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ through a healing ministry. MBF interprets the international health work of PC(USA) and seeks funding for PC(USA) health projects around the world. MBF works very closely with the Office of International Health Ministries. (800-547-7627; www.mbfoundation.org)
Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship exists to challenge, mobilize and empower Presbyterian congregations into global partnerships that establish indigenous churches among unreached people groups. PFF works with the Office of International Evangelism to carry out the PC(USA)’s Frontier Mission Program. You can support the frontier mission program in general through ECO#863001, and there are also many ECO accounts that you can give to for specific frontier evangelism efforts among particular people groups. PFF also directly receives and disburses funds for this work. For more information contact PFF. (800-720-4PFF; www.pff.net)
The Outreach Foundation (ECO#863005) engages Presbyterians in Christ-centered evangelistic mission for the salvation of humankind. Outreach focuses on building relationships with global partners, and priorities include missionary support, planting and building churches, training global leaders, and caring for vulnerable children. The current Outreach “Missionaries & Projects Book” is available through their office in Franklin, TN (800-791-5023). Project information is also available on their website at www.theoutreachfoundation.org. Outreach receives funds directly in its office and disburses those funds directly to mission partners around the globe.
What is the new Outreach/PFF strategic alliance?
In light of the need to develop new patterns for sending and supporting Presbyterians in mission service, Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship and The Outreach Foundation have joined in an alliance to send Presbyterian missionaries called The Antioch Partners. This new effort will collaborate with the denominational mission offices, other mission agencies and partners around the world.
Presbyterian Global Fellowship is convinced that centralized bureaucratic structures are a thing of the past. New models for partnership in mission, with one another and with the global church, helpfully move us in the direction of multiple centers of influence and creative ways of sharing in God’s mission. This new strategic alliance is but one example of the direction in which we believe Presbyterians must move.
What is the “Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts and Hands”?
The 2002 General Assembly approved a $40 million campaign to renew the PC(USA)’s mission commitment. “Mission Initiative: Joining Hearts & Hands” seeks to focus on sending new missionaries overseas and developing and redeveloping churches at home, particularly racial/ethnic congregations. Most of the funds raised to date have been for church development and redevelopment through presbyteries. Now, the campaign is focusing on mission personnel support, seeking funding primarily from large congregations. One of the members of the PGF leadership team, Dave Peterson, is co-chairing the Mission Initiative steering committee, and PGF hopes that the campaign will increase funds for sending PC(USA) missionaries. For more details visit www.pcusa.org/joiningheartsandhands.
What is “Mission Challenge ‘07”?
Mission Challenge ’07 is an effort of the PC(USA)’s World Mission program area to itinerate PC(USA) missionaries through more than 120 presbyteries in October 2007. The goal of this special season is that 100% of the congregations in each presbytery would commit to help support a PC(USA) missionary. The mission emphasis month will begin with a global mission conference in Louisville on October 2-4. For more information visit www.pcusa.org/missionchallenge07/.
Where can I learn more about the General Assembly mission budget and priorities?
General Assembly mission budgets may be found on-line here.
The General Assembly Council’s Mission Work Plan may be found here.
The GAC’s Annual Report to the Church may be found here.
The current mission funding system is fully described in the Organization for Mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which may be found beginning on page 116 in the Manual of the General Assembly, which is here.
Where can I go with other PC(USA) mission funding questions?
For questions related to PC(USA) mission and mission funding, we recommend that you contact one of the validated mission support groups listed above or the World Mission office in Louisville at 888-728-7228.
Does PGF have any financial needs?
Yes. We welcome and seek gifts from individuals and congregations who wish to support our efforts to build relationships and share resources in ways that help churches to become "sent" missional communities. We are currently undertaking the following three initiatives:
With the help of innovative software designers, PGF is creating a community-building, resource-sharing Web site that will facilitate a global exchange of ideas and best practices among participating congregations through cutting-edge Web technology. The launch is scheduled for August 2007. Funding support is needed.
We also need gifts to help defray costs related to our annual PGF conference, an event which will support the building of long-term, cross-cultural relationships and connect and equip congregations for their mission in the trenches.
We are putting in place minimal staffing to help move all this forward. We hired a part-time Team Coordinator in January 2007 to provide support in the areas of administration, membership building and resource collection for the Web site, and we will need to add a part-time, information technology specialist to oversee the maintenance of the Web site and other related, online components. The rest of us are volunteers!
For more information about PGF's financial needs, contact Kristina Robb Dover at
(404) 846-4386. Contributions should be made payable to "PGF" and may be sent to Presbyterian Global Fellowship, 3434 Roswell Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.
Is your organizations budget and financing as transparant and available for purvue as that of the PC(USA)?
Why have you not provided this opportunity in the above?
Are there good relationships with the GAC bodies or are there tensions?
Are the tensions directly related to contoversies and differences in sexual moral interpretations and application of scripture, as well as differing opinions about prolife and prochoice issues?
Is Presbyterian Global Fellowship consider itself and it's charter "exclusive or inclusive" of these various challenging and dividing issues which are causing a decline in mission opportunities and lack of funding for current missionaries and their appointment?
Posted by: william j sager | April 23, 2007 at 02:11 PM