Financial sustainability is a critical component of changes in PC(USA) global engagement

LOUISVILLE — For several months, the Interim Unified Agency (IUA) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has progressively introduced the shift from the World Mission ministry area to a new model of ecumenical global engagement through Presbyterian News Service articles, on Nov. 5, 2024, Jan. 23, Feb. 5, Feb. 7 and March 17. While these articles have referenced financial sustainability as one of the reasons for the change, the IUA has been clear that it is not the strategy driving upcoming changes. 

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The strategy emerges from:

• Approximately two decades of listening to global partners across varied settings and context
• The reality that more and more global partners are sending missionaries to the U.S. and have diaspora communities in our midst
• The shifting locus of Church from the West to the Global South and the East
• The PC(USA) General Assembly-mandated unification of the Presbyterian Mission Agency and the Office of the General Assembly. 

While this is not an all-inclusive list, it does identify key drivers. Of these, only the last driver — unification — has an element partly driven by financial concerns. Nonetheless, the financial dimensions must be considered. 

Sustainability is not just a concern for the IUA

Financial sustainability has loomed in the background for some mainline denominations and in the foreground for others since the ’60s and ’70s. In a more recent attempt to confront it, the General Assembly took action mandating the creation of the Funding Model Development Team. It was tasked to “develop and implement experiments that will fund councils of the church, above the session,” based on a recognition that financial sustainability concerns are confronting many parts of the church. 

The 226th General Assembly (2024) approved actions from the Special Offerings Task Force Report: 1) affirming a comprehensive overview of the special offerings, and 2) reducing the number of special offerings from four to three, partly as a response to declines in special offering giving over the years. The report attributed the decline to too many giving options without clarity on the desired mission impacts of each offering.

The 226th General Assembly also “strongly encourage(d) the Unification Commission to retain funds to preserve the critical placement of mission co-workers and PC(USA) leaders ‘on the ground’ in ecumenical, interfaith, and civil society contexts globally.” While funds have been retained, that is, revenue for global engagement has not been displaced to other areas, the availability of funds had decreased each year.

IUA giving trends

The following chart (Exhibit A) shows the five primary areas of contributions from living individuals over the past 30 years. The five categories are:  

• Extra Commitment Opportunity (ECO), which largely represents giving by individuals to support designated causes within the budget.
• Directed Mission Support (DMS), which largely represents giving by congregations in support of designated causes within the budget.
• Per Capita, which is the funding mechanism for all “to participate equally, responsibly, and interdependently by sharing the cost of coordination and evaluation of mission; and of performing ecclesiastical, legislative, and judicial functions that identify a Reformed Church, while at the same time strengthening the sense of community among all Presbyterians.”
• Shared Mission Giving, which is the name for unrestricted giving from congregations, through mid councils, for the unified budget.
• Special Offerings. The four churchwide Special Offerings — One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost, Peace & Global Witness, and Christmas Joy, along with the Giving Catalog — support ministries of compassion, leadership development, hunger and poverty alleviation, disaster relief, peacemaking, global witness, and more through congregational and individual giving. Their goal is to share Christ's love all around the world through Presbyterian mission and ministry. 

Exhibit A – Contribution History

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The shaded areas show the five revenue streams. International mission personnel have generally been funded through ECO (green) and DMS (light blue) giving. For many years, early in this period, ECO plus DMS receipts were at the $12 million level or higher. However, since 2006, only one year (2015) has had receipts at this level. The most recent year in the table (2023) shows receipts of only $6.1 million in these categories. 

Shared Mission has seen a more extensive decline. A partial explanation may be found in the single line near the top of the graph. This line tracks PC(USA) membership in this period. The scale is on the axis to the right. In 1995, PC(USA) membership was just over 2.5 million. By 2023, membership is at the 1 million level. 

Presbyterians have been very generous in their giving. In 1995, per member giving in these five categories combined was at $22, and by the end of the period (2023) the effective per member rate increased to $31. But the challenge of declining membership has been too much for the increased per member giving to overcome.

Mission co-worker financial support

We can also take a deeper dive specifically to look at mission co-worker sending and support. Over the past five years, revenue from combined ECO and DMS giving has averaged approximately $1 million less than budgeted, annually. With such a stark reality, one might assume that Presbyterians have opted to be less generous than in years past. However, the chart below (Exhibit B) tells a different story. 

Total annual giving toward mission co-worker sending and support peaked in 2000, at approximately $16 million (green line) and declined to about $6 million in 2023. Yet, average member giving has increased from about $4.80 per year (purple line) in 1995 to about $5.60 per year in 2023. Though the peak at about $8.30 per year was achieved back in 2015, and is now trending downward, the chart clearly illustrates that while member giving has increased over time, it has been unable to keep pace with the level of giving accessible through larger denominational membership. Therefore, while the shift in approach to global engagement did have the wider rationales listed above, addressing mission co-worker financial sustainability as a part of this strategic shift was critical. 

Exhibit B – ECO and DMS mission co-worker funding totals by year and average PC(USA) member.

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What’s ahead

The IUA is providing generous severance packages to World Mission staff who are transitioning out of their roles. While resources have been allocated for this purpose, financial support through Global Ecumenical Partnerships remains critical to support the transition to the new model. Funds have not been reallocated from global ecumenical engagement to other parts of the organization. Instead, the IUA will adjust and spend to levels that can be sustained by the gifts that are received. Future plans for global ecumenical liaisons are therefore dependent upon Presbyterian financial support for global engagement. 

The Rev. Mienda Uriarte, IUA Interim Deputy Director and Director of Global Ecumenical Partnerships, says that prior levels of individual, congregation, and mid council support will enable the IUA to send 30-plus global ecumenical advisors, including international Young Adult Volunteer site coordinators, to serve alongside Presbyterians in the U.S. and partners all around the world, and she appeals for the denomination’s prayer and financial support.

To make a gift, go here.

Tamron Keith is Associate Mission Director of Global Ecumenical Partnerships. Barry Creech is Deputy Executive Director of the Interim Unified Agency.