Meeting via Zoom Friday, the Unification Commission voted to sunset both the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board and the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, effective Dec. 31. The Unification Commission will be taking on the work of both governing bodies.
In a news release, the Unification Commission said it recognizes “their important leadership and intends to collaborate closely with these governing bodies on the transition of their responsibilities to the UC.”
A technology glitch prevented the livestream of the brief Friday meeting of the Unification Commission. Watch the recorded proceedings here.
“COGA and PMAB have faithfully served our church with great dedication for many years,” Cristi Scott Ligon, the UC’s co-moderator, said in the news release. “In this season of unification, the UC is grateful that our colleagues in ministry have been preparing for this process to unify their governance functions with OGA and PMA. We look forward to working with them to make this as smooth of a transition as possible.”
Commissioners said they recognize the complexity of dissolving both governing boards and assuming all governance functions for both bodies. They said they’ve been gathering information and “planning to proactively manage potential challenges.”
“We recognize that making this transition successful will take thoughtful collaboration,” said the Rev. Dr. Felipe Martínez, commission co-moderator, in the same news release. “The UC stands ready to continue to work closely with COGA and PMAB throughout this process.”
The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), said, “We are grateful for those who answer the call to serve General Assembly standing committees and boards, and we are particularly grateful for those who have served on PMAB and COGA as the Unification Commission announces the necessary step of bringing the work of those two bodies to a close so that the work of a unified governing board might begin.”
“God is at work among us,” Oh said, “and we continue to pray for wisdom for the UC and all those seeking our faithful way forward in the midst of the complexity of unifying OGA and PMA.”
A week earlier, the Unification Commission announced the establishment of a Unification Management Office to help implement the commission’s decisions, set up a comprehensive unification program plan, develop change management and communications strategies, and implement and monitor progress against the program plan.
The Rev. Deb Avery, a member of the Unification Commission who leads its Governance Work Group, said the group is working on bringing a few motions to the commission’s September and October meetings “that will help us address some of the things [COGA and PMAB] are carrying,” such as their relationships with advocacy and advisory groups “and other boards that are knitted together through the PMAB and COGA structure.”
“We want to let everyone know this is very much on our plate and we’ve already started working on some plans related to that,” Avery said.
According to the news release, an important part of sunsetting PMAB and COGA will be honoring the service they’ve provided over many years. The UC said it plans to do that during its January 2025 meeting.
Two members of the Unification Commission sit on the governing boards that will be dissolved. The Rev. Dr. Dee Cooper is a member of PMAB; the Rev. Dr. Dave Davis is COGA moderator.
“I look forward to the opportunity to honor the PMAB’s many years of service and dedication to the PMA,” said the Rev. Dr. Diane Givens Moffett, president and executive director of the PMA. “Their wisdom, courage, and unwavering support have played a major role in the growth and development of Matthew 25 and the vision for mission in the PC(USA).”
“While I will miss working with our board, I know the actions of the commission are important to the process of unification,” Moffett said. “I covet prayers for all who are impacted by this change, and I eagerly anticipate the positive things God is doing as we move towards unification.”
The Unification Commission was established by the 225th General Assembly (2022) to oversee and facilitate the unification of the Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency into a single agency, revise the Organization for Mission to reflect this change, and work to align the entities, boards, committees, and constituent bodies of the General Assembly toward long-term faithfulness and financial sustainability of its mission within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).